H.—2

2

Pieces of ground—perhaps 30 or 40 yards in diameter —are enclosed by a common warren bank of turf, and capped in the usual way with furze. Inside each of these env^""^ closures, and immediately adjoining the bank, a pit some 5 or 7 feet deep is / dug, and covered (with the exception "of a man-hole having a boarded lid) / \ with brushwood laid on a few poles put at the point of contact between / ~ \ the pit and the enclosing bank ; a hole (like an ordinary rabbits' hole) is Jj I made through the latter. For about half the length of this hole its bottom V ,dg%. I is formed by the natural surface of the ground, but about the remaining A \ Vk* ~1) J a^ 'ias e So^ SCOOP ed avvay sufficiently to allow of a tip-board working ~~ y on a pin or pivot to be introduced. The inner end of this tip-board hangs /^»a- -^»^ over the pit, and the top and sides of the hole are here also boarded. The -jj/ tip-board is slightly weighted at its outer end to restore it to its original Ground Plan of Tipc. position of balance, and its inner end rests upon a wooden button, attached A Warren. B Enclosure C Pit. t fa e rQo f Q f f^e „}(. |j ut w ], eu t} ie tipe IS Wanted for USC the button is .1) Man-hole in cover of pit. E En- J f »> . r trance for rabbits. turned and the tip-board swings treely. About halt way between the pivos on which it turns, and the inner end, a bit of wood is fixed vertically, to get over which the rabbit it forced to jump, and thus insures the successful action of the apparatus when set, for then the animal alighting plump upon the end of the tip-board is at once toppled into the pit below. These two rude sketches may show the manner of operation so far, but much of course depends on the proportion of the different parts ; and these, I hope, may be obtained (or possibly even working drawings) from Mr. Bartlett. It remains to be said that the rabbits are induced to feed within the enclosure by turnips or the like being strewn at first near the entrance hole, and also inside. When it is found that they freely avail themselves of the opportunities, the button is turned and every rabbit that enters, instead of passing on to feed, as he had been accustomed to do, finds himself sent headlong into the pit, whence he and his fellows may be taken next morning by the warreuer, who obtains access to the pit through the man-hole. I believe I am not mistaken when I say that some hundred or more have been taken in a single ni^ht in one of these tipes, and the tipes may be constructed as close to one another as seems requisite. There is a further advantage in this method, in that it causes no alarm to the survivors, who are of course in utter ignorance of the fate of their comrades. Enjoying, as I do, the privilege of being au honorary member of the New Zealand Institute, I deem it right to do anything in my power to advance the interests of the colony. I fully see the need of some steps being taken to stop the devastation caused there by the rabbits, but I feel most strongly the short-sighted impolicy which would attempt to check the plague by the introduction of a far greater evil. I have, &c, Sir Tyrone Power, K.C.B, Alfred Newton.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. The Agent-Genebal to Mr. Newton. 7, "Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Dear Sir,— 14th November, 1876. I am exceedingly obliged to you for your interesting letter of sth instant, on the subject of the Australian and New Zealand rabbit pest, which I should have acknowledged sooner, but I delayed in the hope of shortly getting the further communication on the subject which you hoped to be enabled to give, and for which I shall be much obliged if you obtain it. I shall communicate the particulars of your plan to the colony, to be used wherever practicable, but I fear it is one more suitable to a warren, or to any place where the rabbits are tolerably concentrated, than to the circumstances in New Zealand, where the rabbits are very widely disseminated through the wild scrub, rocks, and mountains, over a very considerable surface of perfectly wild country, with very few inhabitants, and used chiefly for sheep and cattle runs. With many thanks, pray believe, dear Sir, Tours, &c., A. Newton Esq., M.A. W. Tteone Power.

No. 2. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secbetaby. 7, Westminster Chambers, A'ictoria Street, "Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 22ud November, 1876. Adverting to my letter of the 15th instant, No. 868, respecting the method of trapping rabbits in this country, I now have the honor to forward copies of further correspondence on the subject, containing the additional information and plans which Mr. Newton had led me to expect, and to which I referred in my letter. I have, &c, W. Ttbone Powek, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Agent-General.