Laboratory tests indicated that the optimum concentration for pyriminyl in rat baits was between 1% and 3%. In field trials in which 0.5% pyriminyl (the concentration in commercial use) was compared with 2.5% zinc phosphide for the control of rats on farms, the pyriminyl treatments were significantly less effective than the zinc phosphide even when the poisoned baits were left down for 7 days instead of 1 day after prebaiting. Both poisons were as effective in medium oatmeal bait as they were in medium oatmeal containing 5% corn oil and 5% sugar.