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be found of excellent service in central Australia. There appears also to be a further difference between M. Pasteur and myself—that nature spreads anthrax by means of this tapeworm. (There are 250 different sorts of worms, the different kinds of which keep all living things in check—• thus, lungworm in sheep, cattle-worms, horse-worms, worms in children, and in man.) M. Pasteur prefers the microbe of chicken-cholera. This may be a blood-poison too, which anthrax is. I fancy, too, that nature has already given Australia a remedy to use against the rabbit—viz., in, the disease known as Cumberland disease; so, very great care must be taken in applying the proper remedy. There are different kinds of anthrax. In the bladder-worm of the dog anthrax does not supervene, so that that is quite a safe remedy. Liver-rot (Coccidium oviforme) accompanied it with us in South Wairarapa. It was liver-rot which cleared Tintinallogy. I shall be glad to know whether the rabbit has sprung up again there ; also whether Cumberland disease has followed in the track of the foxes which were turned out. I think, on the whole, that my mode of spreading diseases natural to the rabbit will be found more suitable and continuous than M. Pasteur's method, although I view any of Pasteur's work with the very greatest respect. The Government of New Zealand has had on hand for over a year past for publication the whole of the details concerning the actual mode of suppressing the rabbit-pest in South Wairarapa in 1884-86—every step we took, every measure we used. The district stands to-day as clean as when, in 1885-86, I ceased calling my neighbours together to suppress the pest. I think these details should be published, as they would guide village communities for years hence. For we have the rabbit now, and we shall never get rid of it. Suppression consists of two methods—(l) measures of clearance, (2) measures of avoidance. Apart from rabbit-netting, to which I will make reference directly, measures of clearance are five, as follows :— (1.) Voluntary combination of settlers. (2.) Systematic poisoning. (3.) Turning out the natural enemy. (4.)- Hunting with dog, gun, and ferret. (5.) Spread of disease. In brief explanation of the above : — (1.) Voluntary combination means that the Government should cease the attempt to suppress by drastic measures, and should throw entirely upon the people the onus of suppression. These drastic measures have been tried for ten years in New Zealand, and have failed. If people like to have rabbits, why not let them ? If a man under voluntary clearance will not clear his rabbits, let his neighbour sue him for harbouring a nuisance. That, in my opinion, will sooner bring him to his senses than all the Eabbit Inspectors in the world. I find that the bad settler, pursued and harassed by the Eabbit Inspector, always remains bad—perhaps even deteriorates below that standard, and becomes worse. A very different state of things would arise if he saw himself liable to an action for £1,000 damages. To fine such a man £5 or £10 is tilting at a mountain with a reed. Of course, the Government should still keep their Chief Eabbit Inspectors to look after the Crown lands and the boundaries between colonies. In New South Wales, from Bourke up, the efforts of settlers are absolutely paralysed against the pest. They are doing nothing against it except fencing, and that, of course, is not an active remedy. In Tasmania, Mr. Tabart says that the Justice of the Peace Bench will not fine settlers. When the Justices of a country refuse to fine their fellow-settlers there is something wrong with the Act itself. (2.) Systematic Poisoning : I am indifferent which poison is adopted —phosphorized oats, arsenic, strychnine, bisulphide of carbon —providing it is sharp and effectual, and applied simultaneously by a whole district. Details as to this will be found in my papers in the hands of the Government. The poison remedy is only useful when applied with judgment. I think very little of poison excepting for temporary use. The great suppression will be found not entirely in sweeping off the old rabbit, but in sweeping off the young litters under ground, which poison does not reach. Poisons apply to different localities according to circumstances and temperature. (3.) Turning out the Natural Enemy: Here we should follow nature: the ferret for the tropics ; stoat, polecat, and weasel, for the temperate zones ; and ermine, &c, for the polar regions. The ferret will not live in a wild state in the temperate zone, but it will in the tropics. I think it will live upon rabbit-blood in central Australia, so that the want of water there will not matter so much. (4.) Hunting with Dog, Gun, and Ferret: A rabbiter's outfit should comprise a few dogs, a gun, and a tame ferret, a few nets, and a little pick. I would not object to his dispensing with the gun, but his ferret and nets are his great remedy. The dogs, of course, spread bladder-worm. I understand that from Wilcannia to Hungerford, in New South Wales, very little suppression is being done. The evil has gone beyond the settlers' means of suppression. If settlers will only act together, and pursue the remedies I point out, in addition to their fencing, they need not despair. (5.) The spread of disease I have already referred to. I think that hawks also carry the tapeworm eggs. I have wondered whether the kangaroo could act as host ; but this is very doubtful. It might carry the worm; but I should not think it could be made a distributor. Nature does not act in that way, each host being applicable for its own work. Measures of avoidance :— (1.) Disagreements among settlers. (2.) Trapping. (3.) The constant use of any one poison, or using poisons at wrong times. (4.) Total reliance upon rabbit-proof fencing. (5.) Carbon-fumes after one application, arsenical paste, and suchlike. In explanation of the above, I need only say that people who trap thoroughly deserve having a rabbit-pest. The pity is that they flood their neighbours as well. Trapping should be absolutely prohibited.

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