THE EXTERPATION OF RABBITS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4551, 23 November 1887, Page 3

THE EXTERPATION OF RABBITS.

The Adelaide correspondent of the Arqus wired recently : A report by Professor Watson on the destruction of rabbits by disease was laid before Parliament to-day. He says Assisted by influential stockowners I am investigating the effects of rabbit scab on sheep and noting any modifiations produced in the course of the disease itself by the peculiarities of climate. I have already noticed during the recent winter that a night’s rain accelerated the death of diseased rabbits. Whether during the next two months the opposite condition of dry heat may not have the same effect on the progress_ of the disease remains to be proved. With reference to the action of rabbit scab on sheep, the wool of three unshorn merinos was on October 14 last, and again on the 4th inst., heavily charged in severol places with the parasite sarcoptes cnniculi, taken directly fromlivingrabbits, and it is impossible to imagine that the sheep in question, if running at large, even if surrounded by millions of infected rabbits, could ever be to such a severe drenching with the rabbit parasite as was the case here. Judging by the analogy supplied by the abortive action of the sheep sceb itself when brought into contact with the skin of other animals, including man, I certainly did anticipate some slight transient local irritation caused by the futile attempts of thesrabbite parasite to accomodate itself to life in the skin of a sheep. Thus far, however no local irritation, much less destructive general spread of the parasite in the wool of the sheep has ensued. The action of the sarcoptes cuniculi has not been tried on marsupials. As for dogs, horses, cattle, and man, the weight of the evidenbe is that no danger need be anticipated. The flesh of the diseased rabbit may be eaten with impunity, although very lean and dry, if the disease of the skin is advanced. We hope by Christmas to be in a position to carry out experiments on horses, cattle, pigs, and marsupials, and be able to dispose of 50 or more diseased rabbits then, which we intend placing with cattle and other animals on some island should we have the permission of the Government to do so.