A BABBIT PLAGUE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5037, 7 January 1891, Page 4

A BABBIT PLAGUE.

A gentleman who is at present travelling m tho Western district of Now South Wales <»rit6B to ii friend m Sydney as follows : — " On my jaurney beween Hillston and .Lake Cudgellico, among other wondera, I saw tho grasshoppers. Xhey are m uncountable rail lior.e, »nd have simply eaten the country out I don't know how to describe them ; but they aro worse than the rabbits, as they eat everything down m a few hours. Wherever they pitch they eat, and when they can't get Cibbage or flowers they have taken t> clothes, and are not averse to paint-work, They have eaten the paint clean off the wood work, and as to grass, they mow it down. Tho rabbits, you've often heard me tell of numbers that wo have seen them m ; well, for fear of again being considered a bit. rnah m my statements, I'll noi. aU."inptto describe, but they aro dying m millions and the road is ono line of stench. Wo drove at nighi through Merri Alorrignl station yard, m which stood two haystacks. The rabbits around these veto us thick an the rats that followed the pied piper, m the midst of ths sceno lay eiz or seven sheep or cattle doge, which did not take the slightest notice/ of thb rabbits ; but the crowning experience of tho lot was we changed horses here, and when the driver went to the stall for the horses he found the place simply alive with rabbits, go, calling me to his aid, we entered with sticks and feijjed forlytwo m a two-stall stable ! It wbb a merry five minutes. I don't know what is killing the rabbits, but they are dying m millions They aro very wo»k, and if you start to chase one it gives m m lees than 100 yds. I caught four one morning when going for a bath. The Fquatters am to be pitied They are all wire-netting their fences now. I don't know how they live. It must be a wonderful country to stand it all."