MIGRATION OF RODENTS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11319, 1 September 1899, Page 4

MIGRATION OF RODENTS.

Siu, — I send a newspaper cutting, remarking on a considerable migration of mice, now occurring in Victoria.- — "The mice plague continues in the Wimmera, and great damage is being done by the vermin to hay and wheat stacks. A farmer at Dooen North has for some time past killed upon an average of 1000 mice a day. In one night alone 1500 were killed by the agency of poisoned flour. Another farmer, removing 20 bags of wheat, killed 1635 mice. A Kewell farmer has for weeks past poisoned in his dwelling house on an average 160 mice a night, and the paper on the walls of the rooms has been completely riddled by the pests. Even in Horsham the plague is giving much trouble, many householders being at their wits' end to know how to cope with it." As this mice plague illustrates my formor remarks on the periodic migrations of all rodents, including the rabbit, it is worthy of remark. You will no doubt remomber that some ten years baok a groat migration of the vole (field mouso) caused great damage to Hi* shoopfarinors of Scotland by oatjng tho beat grasses out by the roots. With rogard to tho migrations of the kaka of Now Zealand, remarked on by Mr Tone, these birds certainly uiigrato, but it is after tho manner of land animals, that is, they do not leave their native country, but follow the occasional aeoding of particular forest trees growing in particular plonty at long distances apart, such as the hinau, matai, &c. One year the bushmen will say, "tho pigeons and kaka are on tho hinau," another year, "on the matai," at other times, " they are bitter from feeding on the leaves of the kowhai." The nearest relative to our kaka (naslor mcrulionahs) is located in Norfolk Island. — t am, &0., TayJjOH White. Wimbledon, August 29th, 1899.