The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
RABBIT FENCE Nv Australia.
Putting n Wall Around New South wales
to Keep Out the Pest.

Everybody knows what a terrible pest the
rabbit has become in Australasia. This little
animal is an imported evil in the great British
islands OF the southern seas. for he did not eX-
list among them until he was brought from
England and turned loose to multiply in his
new habitat. Unfortunately. he found his new
surroundings most congenial and so he has
overspread all the habitable parts Of Australia
and New Zealand and has driven the people
almost frantic. for nothing fourishes on n
grandcr scale than the rabbit in his new home.
and he has actually endangered the existence
Of other grass-eating animals. The greatest
efforts have been put forth to exterminate him.
but thus far without success. There is prob
ably no other animal that supplies the market
OF the world with so many skins in a year az
the rabbits Of Australia and New Zealand.
About $1,000 900 squirrel skins OF Siberia are
sent to Europe annually. but In one year as
many S.50O.OOO rabbit skins have been ex-
ported from Australasia, and still there seems
to he no abatement Of the nuisance.
This is an evil that sportsmcn unwittingly
inflicted upon the new country 1t Is we'll
known that the Australasian countries are not
rich in native fauna. After the British settlers
began to arrive they gradually filled up the
gaps in tho local list Of animal life by the i'm
rortation Of new wild and domestic species.
Sportsmen introduced the deer. roebuck. hare
and rabbit. The mig was brought into Austria
liza and New Zealand. and a part OF his numer-
GUS progeny. escaping before the days Of fences
and pens. has became wild. and thousands Of
wild pigs are killed every year in the thickets.
Many Of the streams were stocked with salmon.
trout and other species OF fish from the mother
country, Bird life was particularly scarce.
and at great cost starlinGs, srarrows. black
birds, thrlshes. crows, larks. and fnches we're
introduced from England. Guails from CaH-
iiornia, and tn, gray partridge and pheasant
tied. have multiplied. prodiGiously. and in
Australia. to-day. a land Of most peculiar and
ard America hears the same birds wmarhiing in
the, woods and encounters the same domestic
and wild animals as at home.
All Of these varieties Of animal life were A
blessing to the country except the rabbit. The
man who suggests a practical scheme for get
View years ago the Government Of New South
Wales offered a reward Of $125.OoO for n feast
tempting, offer, stimulated the ingenious and
the cranks all over the. world, and 1900
fsEhG me wv were sHnmitt"d to the Government.
and tn reward e has n ".SsTib' been sg paid pa df"''''ao'e'
Efforts are continually making. however, to
that is said 70 lie rahbit-pro9f. tho animal not
Anew notes are given inrthH last animal report
OF the, Department OF Lands, New South Wales.
T msnt u s. the nrd progress r. sSG OF the The e tbo Iol Govern;
by the erection OF a rabbit fence. The frst
from the Queensland border TO the Mamoi
River. n distance OF about 1l5 miles.
Since then the Government has kent
M Tho. work Of fence building. and the num-
Der OF, miles Of rahbit:proot fencing now
erected in the colony is 1880. The report is
accompanied by a man. which shows that the
fence has been extended along the entire
western, hHrtero o. III" colony and along two
seemstu be to extend a rabbit fence clear
around the colony to its sea frontage. 1t lisa
harnarians lik" the ancient Mongols, but
hordrs ~ animal pests that threaten to over
run tho land