Sometime in 1902 the foreman of the guano works brought to Laysan 
three or four pairs of rabbits* partly to amuse his children and partly 
for the fresh meat that they would furnish* For a time the animals were 
kept about the houses more or less at freedom, but gradually a pair or 
two wandered farther away, attracted by broad tracts of grass, succulent 
herbage, and protecting shrubs* Babbit enemies there were none, as cats 
and dogs were forbidden because of their damage to birds* Albatross 
must have gazed with tolerant curiosity at these lop-eared invaders with 
their curious hobbling gait, while no doubt many an irate shearwater 
hustled them with rauoh strong language (if tone of voioe is any criterion 
the wedge-tailed shearwater is a master of profanity) from the shelter 
of his nesting burrow. With abundant food and a gmial climate increase 
was rapid, and in an incredibly short time rabbits became numerous* In 
the early years it was planned to kill them for the market, but for some 
reason this project was not put in execution. Until the close of the guano 
works, rabbits were kept more or less in check, but freed from man's influence,) 
tholr^tno'Lwo progressed by bounds. In 1911 their number MS sold to bo 
astonishing and it was report ad that they had killed some of the bushes* 
in 1913 the Biological Survey dispatched a party to laysan, charged with 
the destruction of the rabbits before serious harm oame to plant growth* 
several thousand were killed but the party of men withdrew before their 
work was complete. Laysan was kept in mind during succeeding years, but 
important matters intervened, the world war turned all eyes to Aurope, 
C - 
and though Laysan was inhabited for a brief time in 1917 it was not until 
our visit in 1923 that we had definite word as to the outcome of oonditions 
there 
