CARNIVORA 85 



The mouse has never been found very far from the haunts of 

 men in New Zealand. In 1866, during a discussion which arose at 

 a meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society as to the reported 

 destruction of small birds by hawks, W. T. L. Travers reported " that 

 he had opened a large number of hawks, and in all cases found their 

 food to consist entirely of Mice and grasshoppers." At present the 

 mouse is abundant in all settled parts of New Zealand, and is also 

 common on the Auckland, Antipodes and Campbell Islands. 



Family 

 Guinea-pig (Cavia porcellus) 



The only record I have of the introduction of the guinea-pig is 

 by the Auckland Society in 1869, but they have repeatedly been 

 brought in by private individuals and dealers for the last 50 or 60 

 years. Though they have been frequently liberated, they have never 

 succeeded in establishing themselves anywhere, as the young are 

 mercilessly preyed upon by cats. I had them running nearly wild in 

 my garden in Dunedin for some time, and noticed that violets (Viola 

 adorata) growing among grass increased remarkably all the time they 

 were about. The guinea-pigs nibbled the grass very closely, but would 

 not touch the violets. 



Family LEPORIDJE 

 * Rabbit (Lepus cuniculus) 



The introduction of the rabbit into New Zealand has produced 

 such far-reaching effects and wrought such changes throughout the 

 country, that it requires more than the sober language of a naturalist 

 to describe them. One thing is quite certain, namely, that it was 

 deliberately introduced into the country. The first definite notice I 

 have found as to the introduction of these animals is in du Petit- 

 Thouars' voyage of the ' Venus' (1838), in which he says (p. 115): 

 " There are still to be found some rabbits imported from New South 

 Wales." The next is in Mr T. Tuckett's diary of his expedition to 

 the South Island, which is printed as an appendix to Dr Hocken's 

 Contributions to the Early History of New Zealand. Speaking of 

 the country between the mouths of the Clutha and Mataura Rivers, 

 he writes under date loth May, 1844: "Palmer has grown wheat 

 and barley as well as potatoes, and has plenty of fine fowls and ducks 

 and some goats ____ Returning from Tapuke (Taukupu) we landed on 

 the island, and with the assistance of a capital beagle caught six rabbits 

 alive and uninjured" He does not say whether any were liberated 



