Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-28
SOME PROFITABLE HOBBIES
Subjects For Science
By Frederic ]. Haskin

should be scrubbed daily. They need
plenty of fresh water, but food should
be distributed in small dishes holding
only enough to satisfy their imme-
date needs A supply of uncracked
nuts may be left in the cage, which
provides material for them to gnaw
upon, thus keeping their ever-growing
teeth worn down and in good condi-
ton.
The female rat, which has on the
average of thirty offspring a year,
should be given n cage to herself when
with young, and disturbed as little as
possible. The male is frankly a can
nibal, eating his family as soon as
they are born if allowed to remain in
the same. cage with them This an
petite is not due to the lack of proper
food, as some have sought to excuse
MIN, but because he prefers his own
species. Experienced breeders never
iced rats meat, which always intensi-
hes the cannibalistic instinct, but in
sects may be consumed in large num-
bers without any untoward effect.
Rodents used for laboratory pur-
poses should be nearly uniform in
weight. Mice, which command higher
prices than either rats or guinea pigs,
range from half an ounce TO an ounce
IN weight, while rats range from three
TO four ounces. The mouse. which
mas PLAYED such a large part In folk
| lore and the hysteria of ladies. is now
daily engaged in the involuntary but
none the less heroic act of diving in
order that a part of the human race
may live. Among other things. his
! small body is admira bly, adapted TO
testing the carbolc acid qualities Of
serums. A certain amount of car
Dollc acld is necessary to the preserva
tlon OF the serum, and by administer
! lhS doses to the mouse it NAV be de-
termined how much may be used
without injury to the human body.
BESIDES the scientific market. white
mice ana rats and guinea pigs are in
demand as pets. Mice and rats have
never acquired the popularity as pIav-
tnlhSs In this country that thew have
abroad, where they are as common an
accessory to the home as is the canary.
put the animal stores always keen a
suPply or them. Here the Japanese
,Ti,a,o TaI,niis mice are usually on exhibit.
ihey are ANIMALS afflicted with q cur-
ious brain disease which impels them
TO run around in circles or to sc,,,.,,.
ABOUT IN an erratic manner which cbii1
dfen md highly amusing. Janan ,,a.
the the hrst to discover this variety buf
they may easily be bred by the ANA
store. rellaple
The guinea pig. scientifically known
as the "cavy," being a small soft
amman with gentle disposition is
auored Dy children and is much n, do
mand as pet. Through tho wo,l,ir :,
out Of many complex problems ~
breeding and heredity in the ca',1. y. =
dozen distinct varieties have been nroa q
uuGed. some have long silky hair
and with others the hair is SO short
as as 10 DISPLAY the pinkness of the skin
peheath. The guineas colors. also ara
many. on exhibition in the livestoct,
shows OF the country he is black rcd
cream white, chocolate. blue and tor'
toise SHE'LL with any number of coz,
binations of these shades. The bima
guinea pig is still in the experim entail
state and requires q certain amount
t,,ns. 4t nnaSimatlon S,,t to believe him any
breeders have hopes of making bime
the most striking of cavy's coIors Vet Vet