Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-10-27
BATS. vs. mosoulroEs.
Government Expert Says cheiroptsrs
Are Greatest psstroyers Of
cuIiees, Anophiles and
stegameias.

| San Antonio, Texas. Oct. N.-droW
bats and kill of the mosquitoes is the
advice given the citizens Of San An
tonic and the country at large as the
result of experiments and long
study of the bat conducted at the
United States experimental farm on
the outskirts of San Antonio. DR..
Charles A. r. Campbell has given the
world what he believes is the solution
1of the mosquito problem In a paper.
the first Of its kind dealing with that
subject that has ever been presented
to the public. Its title is The Eradi-
lcation of Mosquitoes by the Cultiva-
tion of Bats, Their Natural Enemy
The paper, presented before the med
ical society of this county, has started
a movement that bids fair to sweep
through the South. attracting the at
tention OF boards of health and city
administrations for Dr.. Campbell
proves from bis study Of years and
observation OF the habits of the
yelvety-winged birds OF night that bet
ter than oil or any other preventive
measures is the turning loose of the
bat TO prey upon the disease-bringing
and painfully active mosquito
The experiments have been kept Sc
cret, for the scientists at the govern
ment experimental station feared pos
sible ridicule until they had estab-
lished beyond cavil their theory. Much
curiosity shas been aroused by
ipyramid-like structure Of timber about
one hundred feet in height built upon
piles. II occupies central position
at the government farm and at twi-
I light the air is darkened by great
clouds of bats winging their way out
of what Is called "the battery 1t is
built OF Stats permitting the winged
Inhabitants 20 enter at win and re.
main in the darkness within until the
time for their mosquito hunting pere-
grinations. To populate the battery
want ads were inserted in the daily
papers addressed to the small boys OF
the city asking them to bring live bats
TO Or. Campbell. A quarter for pair
Of bats was the price, and in q few
days nearly thousand bats were in
troduced to their new habitation.
They were gathered from the caves
within the city limits and in the en-
yirons of the city. and the lads report
ed they had no trouble in securing all
they desired. Caves of great size run
ming for miles under San Antonio,
some of which have never been ex-
plored, hold luncounted tons of guano.
For two centuries there have been
tales of fortunes, gold. gems and sill.
verware. buried by Spanish troops and
the rich Spanish settlers in times of
war. and to this day treasure hunting
parties make systematic explorations
Of portions of these rocky caverns.
DR.. Campbell states It as fact that
the great number of bats inhabiting
these caves is one. il not the princi-
pal, cause of keeping San Antonio
Comparatively free of mosquitoes,
Summer visitors here express surprise
at the absence of the mosquito pest.
The doctor has discovered that the
bat scents the mosquito and pounees
upon it like hawk on a chicken. 1t
possesses a voracious appetite for the
singing, stlnging insect, and it will
keep eating them all night Every
householder his own mosquito de-
I stroyer" is the doctors slogan. Ii