The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25

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Various plans were adopted. but the one found
most successful In New Zealand was TO keep
packs Of trained dogs to hunt the rabbits. This
was carried so far that on one large run
no fewer than 24o dogs and a consider
able staff OF men we're maintained for
some years until the evil was greatly reduced.
Some owners introduced f~errets. weasels. and
stoats for the same purpose, but the Legislature
interfcred to protect the birds of the country by
preventing these animals being set at liberty.
With energy and enterprise which, among the
colonies of Australasia. are characteristic OF the
people Of New Zealand. a use has been found for
the rabbits. large quantities OF which are now
canned in various forms for market, willie their
skins are exported in quantities that give an
idea of the extent of the plague. Last year the
export of rabbit skins was officially reported as
between seven and eight millions. These are
said to he worth about two cents each.
The rabbit plague was a well-established evil
in New Zealand before it attracted any atten-
tion in Australia. and there are persons who
assert that the furry invader was introduced
from the island colony. This. however, seems
hardly possible. II Is now but little more than
twenty years since the evil began to make itself
felt in Australia. New south Wales IL believed
to have been the first seat Of the mischief, but
even this is not certain. One thing is not at
all doubtful.; that within two years of the
first note of warning the new invasion
had already become a public danger In
both the colonies OF New South Wales and Vic
toria. Efforts were at first made to deal with
the danger by private enterprise, as in New
oakland nIaaa ~ rnn rohh,t ,o,.l..z L.
profession, proposed to deal with the army of
rabbits by contract. A short experience served
TO show that this proposal was a total mis-
calculation of the forces arrayed on the two
sides. Applications were made To the Parlia-
ment OF New South Wales. and afterward to
those OF other colonies for help in the struggle,
and the danger was so great that large sums of
money were freely granted. Subsidies were
given to the runholders, who are. in nearly every
case, leaseholders OF the State lands. TO meet an
equal expenditure by them in the destruction of
rabbits. This continued for several years, but
in the end proved nearly useless. The evil was
that while one, runho!der spent money in de-
struggle and allowed the run to become n breed
ing ground for the animal. Runs that are prac-
tiCally in the hands of banks and loan COM
panies as mortgages are, only too common
in Australia; and on such runs the nominal
owner had little heart to engage n so expensive
advanced literally by leaps and hounds. One
district after another became infected; large
areas Of country were regarded rs hardly worth
occupying, as the sheep would scarcely feed and
certainly would not thrive on lands once over
Experience seemed to show that men could
not cope with rabbits on land once overrun, and
adopted. Of endeavoring to meet the evil mainly
by exclusion. Owners and pastoral Occupiers
WITHIN prooIalmsd dlstriGts are required e erect
Government itself has expended large sums in
the erection Of fences to separate clean from in,
fected districts. where these have been erected
in time and sufficiently guarded afterward they
have greatly retarded IL not actually stopped
happened that the enemy has turned the flank
Of The position, and while the fence was still un-
have passed the line and occupied the country
in the rear. In such cases there was nothing TO
be done but Ia take up a new line of defence.
Other means were also tried 10 deal with the
evil. some years ago a 'iovernment reward
could be effectually ended. Many sugGestions
were made. but the one which created the great
Was tn destroy the rabbits by the introduction
Of III" epidemic disease known as chicken
rasteur induced the Government OF New
Sonih Wales to sApend a large sum IN
fully stocked with rabbits was given up
Ia l'asteur,s. assistants, two Of whom were
scheme, For "A time great hopes were enter
tanned that the problem was about u b. solved,
ana that 10 science rather than brute force
- 80 49, - nun INV
rabbit invasion. The results failed To Justify
these expectations. Rabbits were inocuIated:
rabbits were undoubtedly infected by the inOru-
lated ones; many rabbits died hut, unfortu-
nately, many also recovered, and these appeared
To he thenceforth proof against the disease. The
maj report or the commission was unfavorable.
science had SO far failed.
This practically is the situation to-day. The
rabbit Invasion has been successful over large
districts In the colonies Of New south Wales,
in Queensland. IL is even said that OF late Tie
rabbits seem to he following Eyres famous
starvation track into the vast coluny of Western
Australia. 4 good deal has now been done tn
check the advance toward the more settled dis
tricts OF these colonies. Nothing has Vet been
done 10 put an end 10 the rabbit plague itself.
Climatic influences have, undoubtedly, been
struggle, Wherever these have been most
psw erml the attaCk has proved most irresistible.
The climate OF the southern zone of the CONT
nent appears to suit the rabbits best. 80 far
they have shown little tendency 10 direct their
march far enough to the north to enter "A semi
tropical climate hut the sub-trOpical regions
New Zealand, where the climate, although mild
compared with that OF all but the very south OF
England, or the greater part Of this country,
can still boast of some cold weather. and even
settlers are capable OF keeping the rabbits
within bounds On the Australian continent, in
the region which the animal has selected for his
special operations, NO such checks exist. There
are there no severe frosts; no snowstO interfere
with the search for that food, the growth Of
which is never entirely arrested BY winter
dity Of t6e animal 70 T fbbsIfs em M L Il sssid' pro-
duce at least twelve filters of young In each
year, and the young females become breeders
themselves four or hye months after birth. The
be imagined. In a country 81 grassy plains.
occupied only by herds Of sheep or dnoyes
Of cattle, and Inhabited so sparsely
a human being 70 each souare mile OF country.