METHODS OF DESTRUCTION IN AUSTRALIA. 37 



niiigoii the head ; slight discharge from the eyes and nose, lasting tliree 

 or. four days; emaciation, followed by loss of jiower in the hind legs, 

 and finally deatli with convulsions in about three weeks. Experiments 

 were made with this disease on a large scale, but were only partially 

 successful. In addition to the bladder Avorm and rabbit scab, experi- 

 ments have been made in New Zealand with rabbit measles {Cysticercus 

 pisifonnis) and liver coccidium {Coccidium oriforme). The latter para- 

 site is injurious to man, and its introduction is therefore dangerous. 

 J)iseases caused by parasites do not otler much hojie as a successful 

 niethod of destroying rabbits, as their effects at best can be only indi- 

 rect by bringing about a condition of general weakness and emaciation, 

 and thereby rendering the animal more subject to attacks of other dis- 

 eases. A full account of these experiments will be found in the report 

 of Prof A. P. W. Thomas on The Rabbit Nuisance in New Zealand, 

 188.S, and the Keport of the New South AVales Koyal Con)mission on the 

 Introduction of Contagious Diseases amongst liabbits, Sydney, 188!>. 



Further inquiry into the epidemic and parasitic diseases of rabbits 

 was advised by the New South Wales commission, and it may be added 

 that this means of destruction seems to promise better success in this 

 country, where large nund)ers of jack rabbits are destroyed every few 

 years by ei)idemics. 



METHODS USED IN AUSTRALIA. 



No less than 1,456 persons submitted schemes to the Australian 

 commission for the destruction of rabbits by methods other than dis- 

 ease. The various schemes were arranged under the following heads:' 



1. Commercial utilization. 7. Miscellaneous, iucludiug firing the country, 



2. Fencing. cutting oii" from food and water, hunting 



3. Poisons. and trai)ping parties, etc. 



4. Natural enemies. 8. Indetiuitc methods. 



5. Traps. 9. General methods. 



6. Electricity. 10. Methods involving special legislation. 



A method which has been tried with some success in New South 

 Wales, consists in capturing a number of rabbits alive and allowing the 

 males to escape after killing all the females. As soon as the males 

 begin to predominate in numbers, it is said that they persecute the 

 females with their attentions to such an extent as to prevent them from 

 breeding, and also kill the young that hai)pen to be born.- 



The Australian commissioners did not favor commercial utilization, 

 because "the principle of making rabbits a profitable article of com- 

 merce is universally condemned by practical men interested in their 

 destruction, on the ground that it leads to their conservation." This 

 method, however, has recently been brought to notice and seems to 

 be one of the most promising (see pp. 05-78). 



'Final Report. 1890, pp. 8-4. 



^Nature, XXXIX, Mardi 21. 1889. pp. 193-494. 



