Mammal Multitudes Country people are continually discovering examples of the
rapidity of increase in certain animals, rabbits, grey squirrels, hedgehogs and even some birds, notably, at the moment, rooks and greater black-backed gulls. Last week a striking example of the ability, of rats to increase their kind was presented to me. A hole was observed under a small movable chicken house. Two of us proceeded to investigate with fork and spade. Within a few minutes eighteen young rats were unearthed, but the does were too quick for us. When we consider at how early an age the young (especially of rabbits) themselves become mothers, it is a wonder that we are not eaten out of hearth sad home. I have been eaten out of spring cabbages by rabbits and seen a partridge lose the whole of an unusually large clutch of eggs by the greed of rats. A continpous war against such enemies is very necessary ; and I cannot but think that too few people call upon the services of the official now designated as the pest officer, the successor to the old-time rat-catcher, but, I fear, rather less successful. The most general achievements in this unpleasant work are seen at threshing time, when by official command the stack must be surrounded by a narrow meshed wire. In one instance it was interesting to see a terrier, whose job it was to deal with mice that got through the wire, quite refuse to touch the delightful tiny harvest mouse. He demanded more worthy game.
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