The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-30

THE RABBITS OF AUSTRALIA.

|
Al First They Were a Pair, Then Pest
and Now They Bring One Million
Dollars in Two Years.
About forty years ago a pair of rab-
bits was brought 0 Australia and
| turned loose on farm about fifty miles
! from Melbourne. In an incredibly short
time they multiplied to such an extent
that they became a pest The rabbits
spread in millions over the western and
northern areas of Victoria. They inva-
ded New South Wales and pressed on,
still increasing, thousand miles north
ward into Queensland
The western part of Victoria, once
called Australia Felix, embraces some of
the richest soil on earth. 1t was a
paradise for the rabbits. who soon made
it a desert The grass began to disap-
pear. Every green blade and shrub was
swept away as by fire. The settlers saw
their cattle and sheep starving, but
were helpless The substantial stone
fences round the farms were harbors for
the imported plague, and they We're re-
luctantly torn down Wire fencing,
with rabbit-proof netting carried well
below the ground, was substituted.
Then this innocent creature took to
climbing the fences and displayed mar
velous gymnastic ability in it's endeav-
ors to get at the crops.
All means of destroying the rabbits
proved Intellectual Shooting only
served to make them flourish, as it
killed out enough of the colonies to
leave more food for the remainder.
Dogs and beaters were tried. Rabbit
drives We're instituted. Thousands We're
killed in every battue. but still the rab-
bits increased. Poisoned wheat served
for time, but led by instinct the rab-
bits at last refused the doctored grain.
Poisoned carrots could not be resisted
until wisdom again taught the rabbit
that to eat was to die. Then nothing
would induce him to look at a carrot.
Arsenic and apples brought a like expe-
Renee.
Yet despite their cunning instinct and
experience the rabbits were slowly beat
en- back from point to point. Every hole |
and crevice that could offer the least |
shelter was blocked up. The wire-net-
ted fences were constantly guarded. |
Men and dogs We're everywhere on the |
watch to hunt to death every stray |
rabbit, So bitter was the fight that the |
rabbit came to be regarded with feel |
lngs of greater horror than those with |
which the average Australian now re-
CARDS the bubonic plague.
Beaten in the west, the rabbits inva-
led the north and northeast. Here they |
found a country suited to their habits. |
rhey increased and multiplied until |
they came to hold men, dogs and guns
n contempt. Sometimes the trains
were delayed through having run into
lordes of the vermin. Despairing and |
beaten, the settlers invoked the aid of |
The state. Meanwhile the rabbits had |
swept on to the Male country, the home
If the dingo and outlawed cattle. It's |
sandy soil and dry, warm climate suit
I'd the bunnies They ate it bare. 1t |
was possible to travel hundreds of miles
without seeing a blade of grass. Here
hey ruled as lords until Mr. Lascelles,
me OF the owners of this tract, discov-
ered that it would grow wheat. He de-
to do so.
His first step was crusade against ]
the rabbits. Inclosing an enormous