March, 1923 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
15 
S'Oine of ihesi* rtihbiTs dreM’ from a enrrespondeiit to the 
paper named ( I-Jlli .May. 1865} a protest on the score of 
the dan^'cr ol' their becoming- a nuisance. Ollier doniesti.- 
(Oited ral)])its, notably the Melgian and Chinchilla 
varieties, were fdso inti'odnced. A (nnisidei'ahle nnmbei* 
of rabbits 'wei'e bretl in linl<dies in Hcisibane in these 
days (“Ih'isbane Courier,” 41 h Jannary, I!H9). In 1866 
some English wild rabbits received from .Mr. Austin, of 
Victoria, were forwarded to Woody Island, Wide Bay, 
to be turned loose cyHri'shane Coiiriei*," 4()th October. 
1866). Two years latter the animal I'enorl of the Society 
stated llial lire English wild raibldf had offerted a per- 
manenl seltlement on tliis island, *‘from whiidi il would 
be difficult, if not impossible, now to dislodge il ’’ (‘’Bris- 
bane Courier,” 4th Pebimai'y. 1868). A report jii-estmted 
lo the Society in 1869 stated that the wild rabbits on 
Woody Island liad increas'ed to such an extent tliat it was 
estimated that they numbered fully 12,000 (“Brisbane 
Courier." ITtb May. 1869K Silver-grey rabbits were 
also liberated on Woody Island, and in 1870 it was re- 
])orted to tbe Soeiet\' that the whole of the northern end 
of the island was “|)Ositive]y swaianing" 'with llnmi 
f'‘ ‘ Expi'ess, ” Brisbane. 21st May. 18701. Tlir Sendety. 
liowever. moA'ed eanti'onsiy in attempting to acMiinat ise 
1 ‘abbits. confining its effm^s to the islands of Wide Bay 
and .Moretnn Bay. A\diere tlieiy would of necessity be 
restrained within nari'ow limits C ' Courier.” 
31st Angnsl, 1869). Kabbils (most ])robably domesticated 
\arieties) wei’e, notwitbstaiiding. turned loose im tlie 
sixties in sevei'al places neai* Brisbane. Othci* plaees 
wore Wai‘wieJk, llelidon, Clermont. Killvivan. Wbimha 
(Burnett Distriet), IMoreton Bay. vi/., Moreton. Strad- 
broke, and St. Helena Islands, Kraser Island ( Wide Bay), 
]*ercy Island (Xoi-tb Queensland), and Booby Island 
(Toi-res Strall). In yoine of these j)laees tiiey ajp^ear to 
]ia\'e increased foi- a time. l)nt eventu.-illy (lisappea I’ed. 
and the expectation that tliey would not l>ecome a nui- 
sance was aj)pareMt]y well founded. None of these I'ahhits 
have any eonnection Avith the pest in Queensland to-day, 
Avhicli is the I’esult of migration from tlie South. 
Not many years passed before the danger of the 
rabbits getting beyond control Avas reali^'(‘d- In 1879 a 
warning Avas sounded in Parlirament by Mr. G. M. Simt)- 
son. Later In the year a Bill to prohibit the further 
iiitrodnetion of tliese animals and restrict the breeding 
of Them Avas introduced by a priAmte member, Mr. 6. M. 
