St. Paul daily globe., 1884-10-21
ENGLISH RABBITS.
Orerrunnin1 australia, and Costing
Thousands of Pounds to FrttFpdte--ius
uiIIfons From one Pair.

OreYrunning australia, and Costing
Thousands of Pounds to Frstrpate-iu2
Millions From one Pair.
WASHINGTON, October 5.-Some rather
curious and interesting facts relative to the
rabbit plague of Australia were detailed in
currespon dence couple of years ago, as
gathered from statement forwarded from
New South Wales, showing the country to be
overrun with rabbits, so much so that agri-
culture and stock raising were seriously
threatened by their presence. A curious
fact in that connection was that the rabbits
had been introduced from England but
few years before by some generous-minded
| person who thought he was bestowing real
boon upon an entirely rabbitless country by
this course.
So thoroughly were he and the commu-
nifty at large impressed with this idea that a
jollifcation meeting, with speeches and
champagne, and good time generally, was
held when the rabbits were liberated; visions
of rabbit pie looming up in the mind of the
| colonist, without thought that the few inno-
cent animals thus liberated would populate
the country with their species in such num-
bers as to seriously threaten its most impor-
| tant industries.
Consul General Spencer, of Melbourne,
writing to the State Department on this sub
| ject, SAYS: The multiplication of rabbits in
the colonies has become veritable plague
A single pair, introduced for the amuse-
ment of the sportsman, has developed into
millions.
| Before the advance of the most timid Of
animals, hocks and herds are compelled to
retire, and even man himself is starved into
| surrender. In some instances squatters
have been compelled to abandon their sheep
runs and selcctors to relinquish their hold
ings. Their advance is as noisaiess and per-
sistent as the dreaded phylloxera. Crossing
rivers and mountain ranges they are steadily
advancing into the interior, and ere long
will probably be found in every part of the
island continent, occasioning heavy losses
to the agriculturist and grazier, and invol-
wing expenditures for suppression that will
be reckoned by many millions sterling.
To exterminate the pest ell the many APP
pliances Of modern science have been
brought to bear, with the result, in some To-
calities, of only checking its steady advance.
Traps. pOlSOuc, SooCS1 thC
dog, the dingoose, the mongoose, have been
brought into requisition, with hitherto but
partial or indifferent success. Government
aid, too has been invoked, and there has
been a generous response. The Parliaments
of Victoria, South Australia and New South
Wales have already appropriated nearly q
million of dollars for the exteripation of the
plague and in all probability will have to
expend many millions more even to keep ii
within bounds.
Add to this sum the expenditure Of pri-
vate individuals in the colonies named as
well as Tasmania and New leland, and the
the outlay both past and prospective is some
thing enormous. According 10 the report OF
chief in spector of stock in New South Wales,
no less than 700, 900 acres in that colony
are infested with rabbits. On twenty-seven
''runs'' they are said to e increasing, on
thirty-six stationary aud forty 'our de-
creasing. Some lis men, under superyi-
sion of in spectors, have latterly been en-
ployed in trapping and poisoning, and re-
port having destroyed immense numbers
OF the various means employed in this wal
Of determination the most efficient are trap
ping and poisoning, phosphorized oats anC
sulphide of carbon having been found espec
tally effective.
Latterly some specimens of the mongoost
! family have been imported from Colombo
After being kept in confinement for some
time they are turned out on some large es
tates in those districts in Victoria and New
/ Sonth Wales, where the rabbits are mos
numerous, and 90 far as is known the result
of the experiment is said to be most favora
bic. But even the rabbit plague has its com
, pensatiOns; it has opened up new channels
of trade and given rise to new industries
Not to speak OF the other colonies, in 1ss:
Victoria exported 4,e29, 432 rabbit skins
. and New iceland 9, 1873, 537 of the ageregat,
value Of se31, ,315. The various uses t.
which these are applied, from felt hat t.
l an ermine tippett, are probably only knowI
+ 10 the initiated.