WAIKAKA VALLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 22

WAIKAKA VALLEY.

JunelS.— The weather was decidedly wintry during last week. For some days the cold was severe, and on Friday an inch of Bnow lay on the ground all day. On the following day the snow had increased in depth "to about 2}in. Most of it had, however, disappeared by Sunday afternoon, there being a light drizzling rain occasionally during the day. This is the first fall of snow of any consequence that has been experienced here for a number of years. The stream overflowed its banks yesterday, and a number of residents spent the afternoon rabbiting. Agricultural.— A good deal of lea land has been ploughed, and some progress has been made with stubble also. Ploughing has been pushed on this season with all possible speed, not only because the advantages of turning a dry furrow are known, but to give more time to plough the turnip land after the roots are eaten off. As there has been hardly any frost so far this winter, the turnips are standing out well, and sheep are in a healthy condition. There is a considerable area under turnips here, and the crop is a good one.

Natural Enemies.— The natural enemies, so called, of the rabbits are increasing annually here, but their presence does not sensibly diminish the number of rabbits. Ferrets are seen entering the same holes as the rabbits in a warren, though no doubt they live in different apartments under ground. Weasels are ateo to be seen in some places, but both ferrets and weasels seem, like the cats, to kill only what they require for food, and

when not hungry look with complacency on their lawful prey. Hawks, too, though numerous, manage only to kill a few young rabbits. Just yesterday I was amused at watching the futile efforts of hawks to catch rabbits on little islands in the' stream. Although tbe rabbits had no hiding place they had little trouble in keeping clear of the embraces of their winged pursuers. It was only the other day that I saw a hawk on several occasions feeding on a dead rabbit in a farm yard with hens only two or three jards off awaiting an opportunity to get a share of the rabbit. Even when the hawk rose to fly the hens did not take alarm. It ii wonderful how animals of different habits and propensities become used to each other, and can even live together. .