Abstract
THE Department of Animal Health of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, has accepted the offer of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare to endow a research studentship for work in rodent ecology, the object of such work being the search for humane #nd efficient methods of controlling rodent populations; and Miss Winifred Maisie Phillips will be the first holder of the studentship. The grant (£180 for the research student and up to £170 for travelling and subsistence expenses) has been made for one year in the first instance, but it is understood that the Federation is prepared to continue the support for up to three years should the results justify this. It is anticipated that the greater part of the field experimentation will be carried out on territory covered by the West Wales Field Society, to which the Federation has made an initial grant of £150 for the current year. The programme of work now envisaged falls into three parts: (a) A survey of the mammalian fauna of the islands visited by the West Wales Field Society and of selected mainland territory. The survey of the islands was suggested by Mr. Charles Elton and the estimates made should form the basis of future studies upon the effects of certain treatments, (b) Research on humane poisons for rats. This work follows from the Conference held at Oxford on May 10, 1945, between members of the staff of the Bureau of Animal Population and nominees of the Federation, (c) The control of rabbits with special reference to surface-dwelling rabbits in woodlands. Preliminary ecological work upon the rabbit was carried out before the War at the Bureau of Animal Population, Oxford, by Mr. H. N. Southern, with the aid of a grant from the Federation. The special study of surface-dwelling rabbits in woodlands was also suggested by Mr. Elton, and it is expected that suitable territory for investigation will be found on farms operated by, or associated with, the Depart ment of Animal Health of University College, Aberystwyth.
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Research on, Rodent Control. Nature 158, 126 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158126b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/158126b0