THE RABBIT PEST AT THE ANTIPODES. 325 



1,884,000 scalps and skins), and paid for in two years. In New 

 South Wales the sum voted by Parliament in 1886 for the 

 destruction of Rabbits was ,674,000, and in South Australia 

 £30,000. The number of skins exported from Victoria in one 

 year was 4,000,000, and the area infested about 20,000,000 acres 

 more or less. In New Zealand the legislature took the matter 

 in hand in 1876, and enacted strongest laws for the destruction 

 of Eabbits. In 1881, on account of the damage done by these 

 pests, more than 500,000 acres of sheep-runs were abandoned, 

 tbe loss to the exports of the colony being estimated at 

 2,500,000 dollars per annum, while upwards of 180,000,000 

 Eabbits were killed in New Zealand in little over three years. 



Referring to the fecundity of the Rabbit, Mr. Morgan says 

 it may be asserted on good grounds that one pair under the 

 most favourable circumstances increase, in two-and-a-half years, 

 to the enormous number of 2,000,000, assuming the district 

 suits them. But, assuming they only increase to one-fourth of 

 that number, it will be seen how necessary it is to be on the 

 watch to destroy them. He concludes his Report by observing 

 that, although the estimated damage by Rabbits would be 

 difficult to ascertain, it may be safely stated that during the 

 last ten years the loss in Australia in various ways has amounted 

 to at least £3,000,000 sterling. 



Under these circumstances, when shooting, trapping, and 

 poisoning have alike proved ineffectual, it is not surprising tbat 

 the Colonial Government should decide to offer a very considerable 

 reward to any one who should devise a satisfactory method of 

 wholesale destruction, and by actual experiment prove its efficacy 

 to the satisfaction of commissioners appointed by the Govern- 

 ment. The reward, in fact, which has been offered by the 

 Government of New South Wales is £25,000, as intimated by a 

 public notice dated Sydney, 31st August, 1887, and the payment 

 of this sum is made conditional upon the plan recommended 

 being not only new and effective, but absolutely harmless to 

 sheep, horses, dogs, and other domestic animals. 



Upon the announcement of this official notice in the Paris 

 * Le Temps ' of November 9th, 1887, it naturally attracted the 

 attention of M. Pasteur, who shortly afterwards (Nov. 29th) 

 addressed a letter to the editor of that journal, in which he 

 stated his views on the subject. In the opinion of M. Pasteur, 



