,*^^'l Keartlam), Some Introduced Animals. 97 



SOME INTRODUCED ANIMALS. 

 By G. a. Keartland. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, ijth Aug., 1920.) 



Whether belonging to the animal or vegetable kingdom, great 

 care should be exercised in the introduction of fresh species 

 to a country. It is well known how the Cape Weed, Scotch 

 Thistle, Boxthorn, St. John's Wort, Sweet Briar, and Prickly 

 Pear have spread over large areas in the various Austrahan 

 States, causing an immense amount of trouble to the man on 

 the land, and, owing to the expense of keeping them in check, 

 greatly reducing the returns from the areas affected. 



While we grumble at the individuals responsible for the 

 introduction of some of these botanical pests, we must also 

 make allowance for other plants brought here accidentally 

 as seeds in forage, or in packing with goods ; but the intro- 

 duction of animals or birds is quite another matter. Their 

 importation has involved a deal of trouble as well as expense, 

 as they required both food and attention on the way here ; 

 while the influence of our cHmate on the fecundity of many 

 animals has been so remarkable as to upset all the calculations 

 of the introducers. Here the hare has from three to five young 

 at a birth, and frequently rears five litters in a j'car. In 

 iMigland they generally have but one. The fox usually has 

 two culis at a birth in Europe, and when triplets are known 

 to occur the event is duly noted in the local press ; here, six 

 is c^uite a usual number of young. 



Some tw(!nty-five years ago 1 wrote a long letter on this 

 subject to the Leeds Yield Naturahsts' Club, giving information 

 cf)ncerning many animals and birds which had been introduced 

 iiere from England. The friend to whom I entrusted it, along 

 with some typical birds' skins, informed me, on his return, 

 that the present was highly appreciated, but he was sure some 

 of my statements were doulited. Were I writing that letter 

 now I would amplify it, and supply such particulars as would 

 satisfy the most sceptical critic. 



The following statements are the, result of personal observa- 

 tion : — 



The Rabbit. — As far back as 1852 rabbits were kept as pets 

 by the boys of many families. Tiiey were of various colours 

 and markings — black-and-white, all black, all white, yellow, 

 yellow-and-white, grey, and wliiti'.-and-grey ; others were 

 spotted. In my youth I had some young friends at Heidelberg 

 who were always ready to pick out a pair of pretty young ones. 

 These were kept in hutches for a time, but soon the boys got 

 tired of looking after them, and they were allowed to nm loose. 

 The animals soon commenced to burrow and breed, and it was 



