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AUSTRALIAN WILD HORSES . Great Hordes of Brumbies, They Are Called, Infest Outlands. 4 In Time of Drought Ranchers Kill Thousands of These Animals to Conserve Grass and Water for Stock. One of the minor problems on the great Australian stations in the back country in abnormally dry seasons such as that which has been experienced during the past year is the destruction of. the thousands of wild horses, or brumbies, as they are called, which roam over the country. In times of plenty owners do not trouble much about them, but when the drought comes and every blade of grass and bucketful of water counts in holding out until rain falls, these useless hordes have to be eliminated. In the past few months many thousands of these wild steeds often fine muscular creatures of noble proportions and with good blood in their veins, the result of crossing with station stallions which have gone wild have been done to death, "brumby drives" being an exciting feature of life out west. The New Zealand Herald prints a highly interesting account of this wholesale killing, and says : "To the man on the land in the , out-back regions of Australia the killing of animals is a necessary part of his days worlc He has to butcher sheep, cattle anil pigs for household use. He has to perform veterinary operations, sometimes of an extensive nature. All these things serve to make him callous in regard to the sufferings of animals, but there are few of these men who do not regard with abhorrence the work attached to the destruction of brumbies. ONCE A PROFITABLE INDUSTRY. "At one time brumby shooting was a. profitable industry on account of the value of the hides. But now hides are of little value, and consequently the wild horses are -got rid of on some of the larger stations by other means. The brumbies, many of which are fine, handsome creatures, are run into a large yard. Here a man with a sharp knife makes an incision in the jugular vein near the shoulder, and the animal is driven forth spurting blood as it gallops. The faster it gallops the sooner its strength fails, and then it crashes to the ground and dies. "The object in view is to get the brumbies as far away from the yard as possible before they succumb to the loss of blood, because in most districts frequented by the band of brumbies there is not enough firewood to burn the carcasses. A station owner who has seen many thousands of wild horses treated in this fashion, in discussing the humanitarian aspect recently, said that the- creatures suffered no pain. In fact, he thought it was a more humane method than to shoot them, because, in many cases, tha first bullet did not strike a vital spot."
