444 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
1881, 39,000; 1882, 42,000; 1883, 47,000; and the flock now 
stands at about 50,000, all the sheep I saw being in excellent 
condition. 
I have visited different parts of the run, and I have been in 
the evening up gullies, along creeks, and by spurs, at which I 
was informed that at one time fifty to sixty Rabbits could be shot 
in one afternoon and evening with a single gun, and have never 
seen more than two Rabbits in a ride, and but very few signs of 
Rabbits. I travelled to Swyncombe, now Mr. Wood’s property, 
past the Clarence Shearing Reserve (now occupied by Mr. 
Gibson, with the Clarence County) to the Green Hills, and saw 
comparatively few Rabbits, absolutely none on Messrs. Bullens’ 
land. I rode over the Quail Range down the Charwell Creek, 
returning to the homestead after sundown, a ride of fifteen 
miles. I only saw two Rabbits and very rare signs of Rabbits; 
and this country, the manager (Mr. McPhadson) informed me, 
was a few years back completely infested with Rabbits. 
I rode from the Green Hills by the Shearing Reserve, and, 
leaving Swyncombe on the left, followed the creek down to the 
homestead. The day was warm and sunny after rain, yet I only 
saw five Rabbits during the whole ride, about seventeen miles, 
and the chief indications were not on Messrs Bullens’ side. The 
whole of this country a few years back swarmed with Rabbits. 
Besides Ferrets, Messrs. Bullen, in 1878, turned out two 
Weasels, but nothing has since been seen of any Weasel, and it 
is uncertain if the pair turned out were not two males. They 
have also recently let out six Mongoose, one of which was seen 
on the run, and another trapped on a neighbouring farm, both 
in good condition. 
At present, the Ferret-keeper informed me, they have no 
place on which it is necessary to turn out Ferrets, and they are 
only being bred in case of accidents; and he expressed the 
opinion that all the Rabbits on the run were wanted for the 
Ferrets, and further stated that wild pigs are killed and left on 
the run for the Ferrets to eat. The Ferrets have been almost as 
sreat enemies to the Rats as to the Rabbits. In 1880, during 
hot close weather, distemper took off a large number of Ferrets, 
and the Rabbits increased slightly in some parts. 
Mr. Wood, who has had Swyncombe—35,000 acres—about 
two years, has poisoned largely in parts, and is now breeding 
