Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-26

Washington, .. c., Sept. Ut
has recently been demonstrated In
two quarters that the government OF
the United States is more than q
match for rats and mice.
This is no slight compliment. Gen
orally speaking, the rats and TIA = have
the run of the earth and live on the
bounty Of man despite all he can do
to prevent it. The facts about the
damage done BY rats and mice, and
the rate at which they increase, rs
ascertained by the learned professors
of the Biological survey, have been
published before, but It is necessary
here to state them again so that you
will be sure to appreciate the i'm
portance Of this subject.
Be it known then that rats AMI
mice in this country every year de-
stroy property valued at $500, WOOs}o
and that an army of 100000 men may
be considered as employed solely in
supporting these little household and
garden pests. The common brown rat
breeds six to ten times year and a
pair Of rats IN three years would have
350, 7O0,482 descendants If all the
children lived and did well. The won
der is that there Is room on earth
for anything except rats.
The government recently found that
several parts of its premises in and
about Washington were rapidly ap-
preaching a condition in which the rats
were the main thing and the govern
mental activities incidental and some
what unprosperous. The most cor
spicuous Of these places was the Ma
tional zoo. There were a great many
more rats in the zoo than all Other
animals combined, and the rats prob
ably ate a great deal more OF the
expensive food doled out than did al
zoo could see rats at any time. and
in the evening they could observe
them extensively. The rats frolicked
about the walks in large family par
ties, going from one enclosure to an
other sampling the different kinds Of
food. They paid no attention at all
to the visitors. and if rock was
thrown at them they registered re-
sentiment rather than fright.
Zoos Home for Rats.
All zoos are wont to be rat-infested,
and it should be said that the Washing
ton zoo was not as bad as most Of
them, but it was bad enough The
IIOuDIt Win hHiiuS IdlS III ZOO Is
that if poison is used, other animals
are sure to eat it, while with traps
there is more or less danger to them
In the Washington zoo the trouble is
increased by the fact that squirrels
rabbits, guinea fowls and turkeys roam
the grounds at large.
The zoo officials therefore let the
rats more or less alone. but after a
while the zoo became inadequate for
their support and they began invading
the residences which fringe it on all
sides. The residents raised howl of
protest. They demanded that the gov
eminent either keep its rats at home
or kill them. The Biological Survey,
which has corps of scientific ex-
perts in the determination of all kinds
of predatory animals, was called into
consultation and man was detailed to
the zoo problem. He solved it by the
use Of spring traps. The zoo rat col
ony, it is learned, has been greatly re-
duced and it is confidently expected
that it will be abolished.
The destruction of rats and mice on
a large scale is problem for experts
The Biological Survey is willing to
give advice on the subject and those