KuTLAND.— 0;? the Neir Zealand Bnsli-rai. 301 



accurate observers ; consequently data are not now procurable 

 from which a satisfactory conclusion may be arrived at as to 

 the cause of this carious phenomenon. 



Having witnessed two of these swarms, and carefully 

 collected evidence from various sources, I now give the re- 

 sults, hoping that they may be found useful whenever this 

 chapter in our natural history shall be more completely 

 written. 



Prior to the clearing of the land on wdiich the city of 

 Nelson now stands, one (or more) of these rat-swarms was 

 there observed by the early settlers. In 1856 the district of 

 Collingwood, on the western side of Blind Bay, was visited by 

 a swarm ; and, in 1863, I am informed of a swarm on the 

 Shotover, Otago. But it is from the town of Picton that I 

 have collected the best information. There, repeated swarms 

 have been observed by the old residents. Unfortunately, I 

 have been unable to ascertain the dates of occurrence except- 

 ing in four instances — namely, 1872, 1880, 1884, and the 

 present spring (1888). From these dates it would appear tliat 

 periods of about four years intervened between tlie swarms. 

 Though I cannot discover that any had taken place in Picton 

 during the eight years between 1872 and 1880, this may be 

 accounted for by the fact that the swarms are not always 

 generally diffused, but sometimes miss certain localities. 

 Thus, in the Pelorus Valley, during the twenty-four years pre- 

 ceding 1884 these rats in an}^ great numbers were not ob- 

 served, though I am satisfied that previously swarms had 

 here occurred, for shortly after my settling here in 1860 I 

 was informed by the Maoris that during certain seasons im- 

 mense numbers of rats made their appearance, destroying the 

 crops — or, as they put it, "cutting the corn down all the 

 same as with a sickle." In like manner, in 1884, while Picton 

 and the surrounding district were swarmed with rats, at The 

 Eocks, on the opposite side of Queen Charlotte Sound, none, or 

 very few, made their appearance, though I am informed that 

 during a previous swarm this locality was visited like other 

 places. 



These rat-swarms invariably take place during spring. In 

 August a few of the little animals appear ; as the weather 

 grows warmer they gradually increase in number until No- 

 vember, when all disa^ipear again gradually, as they came. 



While in a locality dead rats are seen lying about in all 

 directions — on roads, in gardens, and elsewhere. Very few 

 have any marks of violence on their bodies ; nor can it be 

 supposed that they have died of hunger, since on examination 

 they are generally found fat. In Picton, during the swann of 

 1884, the stench becoming unbearable in one of the houses, 

 the floor of the sitting-room was removed, when fortv-seven 



