president's address. 613 



The necessity for taking effectual steps to combat the continued 

 spread of the rabbit in Australia is one which is patent to alL 

 A new phase of the problem involved in the destruction of this 

 animal has been recently presented to us, and it takes a form 

 which should not fail to arouse the watchfulness and attention 

 of Australian Scientific Societies. Last December the Minister 

 for Lands approved of experiments being carried out with a 

 disease the use of which was proposed by Dr. Danysz of Paris, 

 provided the Government were not asked to bear the cost. The 

 management of the scheme has been committed to the Pastures 

 Board Council of Advice, which has received sufficient monetary 

 support from pastoralists and stockowners towards the <£ 15,000 

 required, to enable the negotiations with Dr. Danysz to take 

 practical shape. Broughton Island, situated ol miles north of 

 Newcastle, and having an area of about 1000 acres, has been 

 selected as the locality for the experiment, and a supply of rabbits 

 from the mainland has already been turned loose thereon. If 

 the negotiations with Dr. Danysz do not fall through it seems 

 probable that practical work will be entered upon at no very 

 distant date. The preliminary arrangements are evoking numer- 

 ous expressions of public opinion which vary according to 

 individual standpoint, but practically only two views are held. 

 One side appears to think and talk as lightly of the introduction 

 of a foreign pathogenic microbe of unknown potency under 

 changed conditions, as did those primarily responsible for the 

 introduction of the rabbit itself as well as of the fox, sparrow, 

 starling and other pests, of any possible danger to the country in 

 the course they were taking. The other side, profiting by past 

 experience, desires to consider probable developments before the 

 country is committed to a step which may have results of the 

 gravest character. 



The promotors of the scheme are sanguine through the opera- 

 tion of this disease, if not to exterminate the rabbit, to at any rate 

 hold it materially in check. Taking past experience as a guide, 

 it does seem desirable to be better assured than we now are that 

 the disease in question will confine itself to the rabbit. We have 



