The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-23

Coming Originally From Asia the Ro.
dent Has Spread All Over the
World - During Campaign Against
eubonlo Plague In San Francisco
From 1904 to 1907 More than soo,-
900 Were kIIIed-lncrease Rapidly.
To what extent the rat pest has be-
come a national liability, entailing
the loss Of more than $200,0O0,0O0
worth of foodstuffs and other property
In the United States every year, is
told with a startling array of facts In
a communication to the National Geo.
graphical society derived from a nj
try-wide survey by Edward w. Nelson,
the well known biologist. a part Of
which has been made public In a pre-
vious bulletin. The following supple
mentary bulletin is now issued:
House rats are extremely numerous
and are worldwide In distribution. At
the present time they destroy annually
hundreds of millions of dollars worth
Of foodstuffs and other property, and
through the distribution of bubonic
plague and other diseases cause the
death of untold number Of human be-
ings. These facts being known, why
should we delay In vigorously using
known methods for the elimination
from our homes and communities OF
these wasteful and loathsome pestsf
Ali Came From Asla.
The common house-freQuenting rats
are of three species, the brown, the
black and the roof rat. All are be-
lieved to be natives Of Asia. whence
they have spread to most parts of the
world. In their relations to man their
habits are SO similar that they may
be included In one account. The larg-
er sire, abundance, more general dis
tribution. and aggressive predomi-
nence Of the brown rat. also known
as the Norway and wharf rat, have led
to It's being generally known as the
house rat
$50 far as known, these rodents are
always, everywhere, tho~roughgoing
pests, with no usefulness to man.
'The history OF the brown rat is an
extraordinary one. n unequaled by
that Of any other mammal. II was un-
known In Europe until 1727. when vast
hordes Of them swan the volga river.
A year or two later II arrived In Eng.
land on ships from the Orient. Since
that tine II has steadily extended It's
distribution by means of ships and 9th.
er transportation agencies. and by
migrations overland, until IL shares
with mankind. nearly all parts Of the
earth, from Greenland to Patagonia
and around the globe.
Some Weigh Four Pounds.
SIT Ia a sturdy. fierce and cunning
animal with extraordinary fecundity
These characteristics have enabled II
quickly to overrun and occupy new
territory despite the never-ceasine
warfare waged against 1t by man ant
the competition Of other mammals.
'The smaller black rat and roof raj
formerly existed In most parts of the
old world. They preceded the brown
rat also In America, but when the lat
ter arrived were promptly reduced by
1t to q secondary position or extermi'
mated. Black rats still exist In some
parts Of the United States. and root
rats are common with the brown raj
In the milder climate Of the southern
states.
THE greater size of the brown raj
readily distinguishes It from either OF
the other species. II averages from
one to one and a half pounds ir
weight, and about IS inches In length
Occasionally giants Of its kind occur
however. as shown by the capture
e a Canterbury. England. Of n huge
individual weighing over four pounds
and measuring 22ik inches In length.
Their Increase Very Rapid.
swift an abundant food suppl!
Drown rats increase with almost in
credible rapidity. They have from
three to twelve filters a year, eacl
containing from six to more thar
twenty young. the average being abou
tcus 1uc yUuu& DC6iu W uACCu Whca
less than three months of age.
RATS are nocturnal. and as a ruiz
keep hidden during the day In hole
and other places of concealment abou
buildings or In burrows which they dil
In the ground. Within their retreats
they make warm nests Of Shredded
fbrous material. often cut from cost.
fabrics, In which their naked and help
less young are safely brought forth.
"After careful Investigation tn
United States public health service es
Inmates that the number of rats livinI
under normal conditions In our cite
equals the human population, but tina
In country districts they are relativel,
three or four times al numerous.
This estimate Is practically tn
same as that obtained some years az
In Great Britain and Ireland, Der
mark, France and Germany. At inter
walls. as the result Of especially favor
able conditions Of food supply an
weather, extraordinary increases Q
rats occur over considerable areas an
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