THE RABBIT PEST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1774, 23 February 1888, Page 3

THE RABBIT PEST

Tho c * Melbourne ATgua" of the Gsh Instant, writing on the various methods Proposed for the extermination of rabbits, mentions, amongst other novel suggestions tho following : — "The latest proposal is from a resident at Prahran, who recommends, m a letter which w*g received on Saturday, that an effo 8 ould be made to bring about the extfnc ion of the rabbltß by the introducof nmdneßß among them. To effaot thlsi he proposes that a large number of rabbit" should be <• aught, small portions of their bralna removed, or other operations In the brain maner performed, after which he would have the animals liberated, hla idea bfi ; n ; that they would become lunatics " An exchange thinks that the whole of the " Argus" correspondent's brain has been removed, and that all that is necessary ia to iuoouli»te the rabbltß with a little of hie idiocy. Mr Coleman Phillips has, according to the "Wairarapa Star," received the following letter from Sir James Hector : — v Colonial Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, 7th February, 188. Dear Sir. — The rabbit you have sent mo is afflicted with ' bladder fluke.' This is a most fatal dmease among rabbits, and sweeps them off m millions every year m America The fluke is one stage of the development of the tape-worm of fox, wolf, lynx, wild dog, and cat. It is m this manner that these animals aro considered the natural enemieß of the rabbits, aB the few they actually destroy for food are nothing to the numbers that are destroyed by the propagation of this disease. This is the third case I have met with m the Wairarapa. If tho propagation of this disease can bo secured, tho rabbitß would be cleaned out of the district m a I few months, as I have seen happen m | America over hundreds of equare miles. — I am, &c . James Hector." In explanation, Mr Phillips Pays the disease has been noticed on the l^ry River run for the past 18 months. In appearance it is like a large air bladder under either of the legs t.f the animal, or sometimes internal near the heart. The air bladder is quite large, co that no mistake can be made about it. The rabbit grows thin under the disease, but it will run about and suffer a good chase from tho dogs, even m the last stages. The for is not affected m any way, so that until skinned tho existence of the disease m any animal writ not be Buspeoted .