OCCASIONAL NOTES. 448 
this one estate eighteen poisoners are employed, while six men with pack- 
horses (known as “ packers”) are engaged in conducting traffic between the 
home station and the rabbiters’ camp in the ranges, carrying out poisoned 
wheat and necessary supplies, and returning with the rabbit-skins. Two 
men and a clerk find full employment at the station in making up poisoned 
wheat, and fixing up and despatching the bales. A waggoner is engaged in 
conveying wheat to the home station, and bales of skins from there to 
Lawrence. Some days ago he brought down 22,000 skins; on Monday, 
as we have said, he had 40,000, and at the station, when he left it, there 
were other 40,000 in readiness to be despatched to the railway; and still 
there are no symptoms of the traffic diminishing. Messrs. Strode and 
Fraser supply the rabbiters with poisoned grain at the rate of 8s. per 100 tbs., 
and purchase the rabbit-skins at 2d. each. The men are earning from 
20s. to 30s. a-day, and more men would be taken on but cannot be had. 
Some of the so-called “ unemployed” were offered work, but declined it, 
preferring their chance of loafing on the industrious along the road. While 
these particulars refer to Earnscleugh Station, it is only fair to mention 
that the other runholders are pursuing similar measures in concert, and by 
arrangement arrived at in public meeting. The poison does not seem to 
be taken by the sheep. Although the country “stinks with rabbits,” yet 
the tide appears to have fairly turned; already in many places where the 
grass was formerly devoured down to the roots, it has again resumed its 
verdant hue, and forms good pasture for the sheep. As an instance of 
what other runholders are doing, we may note that Messrs. Cargill and 
Anderson have six men employed, who are working their run, and making 
a “ fine clean job of it.” Their men are said to be earning 20s. to 25s. a-day 
- each. The work of destruction is calculated to last for the next six months; 
and this is another inducement to men who really want work and cannot 
find it to inquire for themselves “ whether these things are so.” 
Tue Braver 1n Norway.—In a foot-note to Mr. A. H. Cocks’ inte- 
resting article under this heading in ‘ The Zoologist’ for June last reference 
was made (p. 234) to some remarks on the subject to be found in Bowden’s 
‘Naturalist in Norway’ (1869). Not having the book by me at the time 
I was unable to quote it, but have since found the passage referred to 
(p. 73), which runs as follows :—<‘‘ The Beaver was formerly very common 
in Norway, and was principally found in Soloer, Osterdalen, Gudbrands- 
dalen, and Jemteland; there is still a Bcever-dalen and a Beever-elo, or 
river, in Osterdalen. It is now only to be met with on the estate of a 
Mr. Aall, a gentleman who resides near Arendal, in the South of Norway.”— 
J. KE. Harrine. 
Porpoisres cHasinc Macxaret.—On July 3lst I was on the Point 
watching a shoal of Mackarel coming out of Pra Sand, and leisurely going 
