Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30

ging OF pitfalls. wider at the bo,,o,, ,...
at the top into which the mics en- , INN
Sass 70 ee. out they die OF hunger
While terrier dogs are even more - enena'
Al acuVe man, armed with a spaoe -,
say thousands In a day in an infss,.1
srerL -, rols1ns nave not been found TO
to domestic beasts. erous
Another method adopted ia "a sc.,,
small hay-cocks over the land which al
Around the hay-cocks ditches ar a..
then nre Is set to the hay. The sninsi.
jump into the bitches and are reasu, a.
stroyed On single large estate IN 81 yony
2o.oep OF the little pests were killed IN ssy.
en- weeks and delivered TO a manu-
tory. which paid for them at the rate on On.
cent for eight dozen. Several bactersa,Sss.
cal experts have suggested that fielo mice
might be fnoculated with anthcax or scaS
The latter disease. Il has been urged. co,i5
be propogated among them without difficnI-
". Unfortunately. the failure Of Pasteur;s
attempt to infect the rabbits Of Australia
MIN WIN fatal and contagious complaint has
gTnrown discredit on such experiments. In
Inessaly the resident Turks regard the
, n3use plague as a visitation Of God ana are
p uripS tb. to adopt any remedial measures.
s,r,'I,, 70 Mecca to fetch holy water for
sprinkling on the fields. I
bumblebees Destreyed.
1t is reckoned that tvo-th,rds of the hum
bic bees In Great BRIAN are de,troyed INV
heid mice. The latter eat the honey stored
away by those insects ans DO starye them.
NOW, II Is literally true that snv one who
Kills cat is upsetting the natural balance
OF NE TO an extent which win have an un-
favorable effect on the produes,v.n... %
garden and field. Pussy's ceat ns,-,,s.
more mice to live. They wipe out N. n,,,,,-
bic bees, on which clover ana man. o,har
plants absolutely depend for their fertS,,,s.
tion. In the absence OF the humble hee,
mes nnese plants 90 not rpen seed and thus the
Herodotus, the father Of history. te,,s an
ODD story OF the invasion Of Egypt and In
dea by Sennacherfb. king OF Assyria- The
army OF that monarch was assailed NV
swarms OF mice, which poured in upon the
soldiers,devouring their auivers bow str1ngs
and the leather handles of their sh,elSs
Bereft of arms. they fed in disorder. and
great numbers OF them were killed" This
event was commemorated by a statue OF
the Egyptian ruler with q mouse In his
hand.
Very nearly related to the FIELD mice are
the Jennings, which are In their way
among the most remarkable OF animals.
They are about five inches long. with very
short tails. Dwelling I'm the highlands Of
the great central mountain chain of Nor
way and Sweden, they build their nests
Of straw. lined with hair, under stones and
tussocks OF grass. They are very pugns-
cious. When disturbed instead OF trying 70
escape they sit upright. kissing and show
ing night. Certain cultivated districts of
Sweden and Norway, where these Creatures
are ordinarily unknown. are occasionally,
at intervals Of from five to twenty-five
years. overrup by armies OF them. which
steadily and slowly advance. always In the
same direction, regardless OF all obstacles,
swimming across streams and even lakes
several miles In breadth. and committing
great devastation. In turn they are pur-
har cEA hxr<~
birds OF prey, ouch as bears, wolves foxes
Wildcats weasels, eagles, hawks ana owls
Even domestic animals. cattle goats ana
reindeer join in the hunt
The Onward March Never Ceases.
None Of these migrant Jennings ever re-
turn by the course from which they come.
The onward march OF the survivors never
ceases until they reach the sea. into which
they plunge. and. swimming onward fn the
same direction as before. perish In the
waves. One remarkable theory offered an
explanation OF this performance IL that they
are acting in obedience to an instinct In
herited from vastly more ancient times. ana
are still seeking a more congenial home I'm
a supposed submerged Atlanta. 10 which
their ancestors OF the miocene period were
wont to resort when driven from their or
binary dwelling places by crowding ana
scarcity OF food.
AS matter OF fact. the JENNINGS which
pensh In the sea are acting under the same
oiind impulse that led them previously to
cross smaller pieces OF water IN safety No
SURVIVORS OF the migrating hordes ever live 10
transmit their final and fatal experience 20
subsequent generations. and 80 this eixan-
NC mistake is periodically repeated Alb
normal increase Of numbers ana constant
necessity for food bring about the miers-
hons from the highlands TO the lovlands
MIholhs UP IN the ocean. The animals only
travel at night and pause when they and
sustenance plentiful. Exhaustion OF the
1000 supply compels them 10 proceed Nat
uraIiy they would not turn back on their
tracks, the region behind being eaten hare
IL is curious fact that turinr tbes.
journeys they multiply enormously ana even
more rapidly than at home Such a mtsrs-
uon lasts from one to three years
RENE BACHE