THE MONGOOSE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1795, 27 September 1888, Page 4

THE MONGOOSE.

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times says that the Government have had under consideration a suggestion, which originally emanated f om a clergyman at Hull, that the mongoose should be acclimatised in the Colony as a means of combatting the rabbit pest. Correspondence which has just been received by the Minister for Lands from the A gent-General, shows that such a remedy would be infinitely worse than the disease which it is intended to cure. Some years ago the mongoose was introduced into the island of Jamaica, for the purpose of contending with a plague of rats., Mr D. Morris, Assistant Director of Kew Gardens, who has had considerable experience in Jamaica, was asked for his opinion on the subject. Writing to the Agent-General, Mr Morris states that he cannot recommend the introduction of so fierce and rapacious an animal as the mongoose into New Zealand ; it might destroy the young rabbits; but its powers of increase are so enormous, and it is so difficult to destroy; that it would almost certainly prove a greater nuisance than the rabbits themselves. A large male mongoose is with difficulty: killed, even by a decent-sized collie ; while the animal feeds on boih eggs and chickens, and might even take to lambs in preference to rabbits.