Station Work 39 



ing these tactics useless, he broke into a mad 

 gallop, and then, with a sidelong leap, he once 

 more arched his back like a bent bow. Then he 

 reared up on his hind legs, threatening to fall 

 backwards upon his rider. Finally, he did throw 

 himself upon the ground, but the man's skill 

 saved him from being crushed, and when the ani- 

 mal rose to his feet again, it was only to find him- 

 self still burdened with his hated incubus. He 

 continued to struggle until he was thoroughly 

 exhausted and allowed himself to be ridden 

 around the riding-school. Then the rough-rider 

 dismounted. "An outlaw," said he, "and a bad 

 'un at that." 



Another familiar figure on the station is the 

 rabbit- trapper, with his waggon, his wire netting, 

 and his spring-traps. At one time, when the 

 trapper received payment from the squatter for 

 the scalps of his slain rabbits, these men might 

 earn as much as 20 a week in the badly infested 

 districts. It is said and there is good reason to 

 believe it that many of these men deliberately 

 spared the female rabbits, declining to put an end 

 to such a lucrative employment by readily help- 

 ing to stamp the rabbits out. The pastoralists 

 were helpless in the face of the law; which was 

 afterwards modified, when the rabbit-trappers' era 

 of luxury came to a sudden end. At that time, 

 the commercial value of bunny was practically nil, 

 but the use of his fur in the manufacture of felt 

 hats and the improvements made in the transport 



