RABBIT EXTERMINATION IN IN VICTORIA.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1152, 20 September 1882, Page 2

RABBIT EXTERMINATION IN IN VICTORIA.

Some curious facts have been discovered by the inspector of bailiffs, Mr Black, during his supervision of the operations undertaken by the Government to exterminate the rabbits. When phosphorised oats and wh< Et were first employed, the rabbits took the poisoned grain with great avidity, but in the second year of its use the rabbits would not take the bait, indicating pretty clearly that traditions had been handed down from one season to the other by the rabbit creation as to the fatal effects of the food so temptingly spread about for their use during the dry weather. The exterminators then resorted to the use of bran and chaff, impregnated with arsenic. During last season, this mode of poisoning did great execution. But it may be necessary to change the form of food next season. The effects of the two poisons are very different. The arsenic kills at once: the phosphorus brings about a slow and painful death, the rabbits sometimes dragging themselves about for throe or four days after taking the poison. In the winter weather the rabbits are killed in their warrens by the use of bisulphide of carbon. All the holes are stopped-up, and cotton-waste, saturated with the poison, is ignited, and placed in one of the burrows. The fumes kill the rabbits so confined in a few minutes. Rabbittrappers obtain 2s 3d a dozen nett for skins ut the present time, the Government paying 3d and the Shire Council 3d per dozen. The bonus on skins is paid in Melbourne, on sale notes attested on oath, so that the risk of the Government paying twice for tho same skins is remote. 'Che trappers make from £1 10s to £3 a week.