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           "I’veseenmillionsofburrows,butnaryarabbit."

           "Therabbitsarealldead,"Bobanswered.

           "Dead?"

           "That’sright,fromsomethingcalledmyxomatosis.Betweentherabbitsandthedroughtyears,Australiawasjustaboutfinishedasaprimaryproducingnationbynineteenforty-seven.Weweredesperate,"saidBob,warmingtohisthemeandgratefultohavesomethingtodiscusswhichwouldexcludeFrank.

           AtwhichpointFrankunwittinglyantagonizedhisnextbrotherbysaying,"Iknewitwasbad,butnotasbadasallthat."Hesatback,hopinghehadpleasedtheCardinalbycontributinghismitetothediscussion.

           "Well,I’mnotexaggerating,believeme!"saidBobtartly;howwouldFrankknow?

           "Whathappened?"theCardinalaskedquickly.

           "TheyearbeforelasttheCommonwealthScientificandIndustrialResearchOrganizationstartedanexperimentalprograminVictoria,infectingrabbitswiththisvirusthingthey’dbred.I’mnotsurewhatavirusis,exceptIthinkit’sasortofgerm.Anyway,theycalledtheirsthemyxomatosisvirus.Atfirstitdidn’tseemtospreadtoowell,thoughwhatbunniescaughtitalldied.Butaboutayearaftertheexperimentalinfectionitbegantospreadlikewildfire,theythinkmosquito-borne,butsomethingtodowithsaffronthistleaswell.Andthebunnieshavediedinmillionsandmillionseversince,it’sjustwipedthemout.You’llsometimesseeafewsickiesaroundwithhugelumpsallovertheirfaces,veryugly-lookingthings.Butit’samarvelouspieceofwork,Ralph,itreallyis.