Iuka reporter., 1890-10-09
A RABBIT PEST.
AUSTRALIA ovERRUN BY THE
LITTLE ANIMALS.

Two Pairs Of Rabbits Increase to
Five Millions in Three Years
Attempts to GetRid of the Plague
A recent report by the United States
consul at Sydney, New South Wales,
gives vivid idea of the extent of the
rabbit pest in Australia. The extra
ordinary fecundity of the animals under
the climactic conditions there prevailing
have caused the country to be com.
plletely overrun with them. Vast re-
gions are devastated, and the grass and
other herbage is devoured. The govern
ment has spent immense sums to DESTROY
and repress them. New South Wales
has spent nearly $4,000,00O. Several
Thousand miles of wire fencing has been
erected, and large amounts in bounties
Tor scalps have been paid. The bounty
mas varied from two cents a scalp to
twenty-four cents, according to the
number of rabbits in the district. The
rabbit hunters have earned from 400 nm
TO $6O week. The natural consequence
has been that the determination OF rab
bits has been the last thing desired by
some Of these rabbit hunters, and the
bounty began to take the form of prac-
tlcal subsidy or protection for the very
animals it was desired to destroy. The
employment of the rabbit hunters was
made compulsory on the owners of land
The determination has at last been
reached to discontinue the payment of
such bounties.
Wire fencing has been found OF use.
A height of 8 feet, with II mesh and
No. II wire has been found effective in
excluding them. Awooden picket fence
is also noted as giving good results.
The figure of five millions is given as
the possible increase of two pairs of rab-
bits in three years. Yet even this is a
low estimate Of the possibilities of re-
production of rabbits. The average life
OF rabbit is put at about nine years.
The doe may have young eight times in
year, averaging eight each time. The
nrst litter is produced when but four
months old. The progressions based on
these figures lead to astonishing results.
For three years the possible progeny of
two rabbits has been calculated as over
thirteen millions, and for seven years as
fifteen hundred millions. OF course
these estimates may exceed reality, but
they indicate the impossibility of killing
of the foreign invader. Fifteen mil
lion skins have been exported from New
South Wales in one year, yet the rab-
bits are not diminished. The climate of
Australia seems to be such that no extra
ueous limit is placed to their propaga-
tion. In other lands they do not in
crease to any extent, and in settled
places often become extinct. Instances of
their destructive power are only too fre-
quent in the antipodes. At place
called Tetganyni, in 1889, $4,000 acres
Of grass were destroyed by them, al
though million were killed on this
identical tract.
At present the southwestern part of
the continent is most afflicted. Curl
ously enough, tame rabbits will not
spread. In the early history of the
country they were introduced, but did
not thrive. The origin of the present
evil is traced to single pair Of wild
brown rabbits liberated in Victoria.
The first enactments against them were
passed in 1870.
While their destruction would seem
hopeless, in view not only of the figures
given above, but on account of the ex-
perience Of the past decade, attempts
are still in progress. Poisoning is ex-
tensively used, of course uniting the
animals for food This is held to be
an advantage, as any utilization of the
animal is in the line Of opposition to its
=, l.
Of poisoning that many Gazing factories
started to utilize rabbits as food pro-
duct have been abandoned. Ferrets are
found useful, but they have already
done much harm to poultry and some Of
the interesting indigeheus birds. Traps
that kill the rabbits kill ferrets also, so
the use of wire pounds to capture them
In quantities alive is advised.
1t will be remembered that reward
was offered by the government of New
South Wales for method for the de-
struction of rabbits. Up to the end Of
last year about 1, 500 methods had been
proposed and examined, but none
answered the requirements. No less
than 115 were for the destruction by dis
ease. One curious scheme consisted in
the killing of the females and letting the
males escape. This, it is claimed, will
bring about preponderance of the
males, who will worry the females to
death. This plan is actually under trial
now.
M. Pasteur, the eminent French bio
logist, proposed to introduce chicken
cholera by incubation. He reserved as
his secret the method of preparing the
virus, which secret he agreed to divulge
only if the reward was given him. The
method was tried most carefully under
the superintendence Of NJ Pasteurs own
assistants. Rodd Island, near Sydney,
was chosen for the work. The com
mission reported adversely, holding that
practically the virus was little or no
better than arsenic OF other known
poison. Thus the reward of $25, 900 re-
mains in abeyance, while the rabbits
continue to be as bad plague as ever
l6cientific American.