Evening star., 1946-04-27
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trdce1DeH.
"FAIRHAVEN, Va.

Dear Sir:
II live in a bungalow on what was
pasture only four years ago.
Naturally, am, in fact, trespass-
ing on the territory of wildlife.
The birds are beginning to get used
to the new houses, but this letter is
really about mice
Last winter there were too many in
the house. and I had to set traps. Many
were killed, and still they kept on COM
ing.
Evidently the sight of dead COM
rade meant nothing to them. But one
night very lucky thing happened;
mouse got in the trap and was hurt,
not killed.
The trap hit her on the nose. She
ran into corner shifting and breath,
ing heavily.
After while she let me pick her up
in a towel. Her nose was broken and
there was a drop of blood. I put her
outside on the porch.
mo more mice since!
You see: They saw mice killed in
the trap, and it meant nothing.
The hurt mouse had a chance to
tell.
IF only living creatures, including
men, could understand each other.
Sincerely, r. D."
The mouse in the house is an unde-
Sirable creature, but outdoors it often is
entertaining.
Field mice, in particular, have inter-
esting habits.
Unless they eat too much grain, these
rodents offer much entertainment to the
questing mind. Let us admit that not
all minds, by any means, find entertain
ment in discovering new things. Many
minds, unfortunately, are satisfied with
what they already know. To some minds
an animal. any animal, is just some
thing to kill. Such minds miss a great
deal, in world running over with in
terest. Killing, after all, is very poor
sort Of sport, unless one is cursed with
certain instincts which the psychologists
call sadiStic. To more normal persons,
killing living things is never very en-
tertaining, at best. Often it becomes a
necessity, as in war, to end invasions
of vermfn. Generally there is no salts
faction in it..
If mice can be kept outdoors, they
often provide sources of entertainment
and information. The house mouse, con-
trary to popular ideas, often lives out
doors. So, too, the field mice sometimes
come indoors. In many localities there
is no plague of mice until after the
first freeze sets in. Then, mice will be
heard coming up the walls, making for
the attic
well-placed traps usually end the
invasion.
Poisonous rat and mice killers are ex-
tremely dangerous, and should never be
used except by experts, and then only
under control, so that pet animals can
not possibly get at them.
Death by such things as phosphorus,
often used in rat poisons, is a terrible
thing, and the kind-hearted person
would not wish it on a rat much less a
neighbor's dog or cat.
The bats using red squill are much
the best, since they are just. as effec-
tive for rats and mice, but do not harm
other animals. Rodents do not possess
the vomit reflex, hence cannot get rid
of the red squill, but other animals are
able to vomit up the ingredient.
Rat campaigns sometimes bring need
| less suffering and horrible death, when
| violent chemical poisons are used.
Such campaigns are necessary, but
such terrible poisoning agencies as phos-
| phorus are blot against mankind, un-
less they are used with the greatest
precaution so that other animals can
not get them.