3ya On the AnuHoration of Sheep, 



The greater part of the wild rabbits are deftroyed, which is certainly produ£live of much 

 benefit to agriculture ; but it is difficult, at prefent, to find rabbits whofe fle(h has fo good a 

 tafte, or fo high a flavour. The flsfli of the rabbit is neverthelefs wholcfome ; it agrees 

 with all conlVitutions ; it is eafy of digeftion, and, confequently, good for convalefcents, 

 whofe appetite it revives when the flavour is good. I {hall make refearches, for the fake of 

 convalefcents, and of thofe whofe ftomachs are weak, into the means of rendering the flefli 

 of domeftic rabbits as agreeable, if poffible, as that of the wild rabbits ; or, at leaft, to take 

 away much of the expence and time required before the domeftic rabbits are fit for the table, 

 and the bad qualities which arife from the kind of food, which is more efFe£tual to promote 

 their growth than to give their flefli an agreeable tafte. It is well known that (heep fed 

 with lucern have their fat of a yellowifli colour, and a difagreeable tafte; whilft thofe which 

 are fed with trefoil, have their fat alfo of a yellowifli colour, but of a good tafte. It is 

 neceflary to try other plants to know their efFedls with regard to the qualities of the flefli 

 and fat of animals. I ftiall make a great number of thefe trials upon rabbits ; as they will 

 be more eafy and fpeedy than that of fheep or kine. They will at leaft indicate thofe foods 

 which will commimicate the moft defirable qualities to the flefli and fat of cattle. Rabbits 

 increafe and grow in lefs time ; they are fed with lefs expence ; from all which qualities they 

 are preferable to other animals for trials of this nature. Rabbits are expofed without regret 

 to the moft dangerous experiments, becaufe they coft fo little. We do not fear to make 

 trials with the moft noxious plants on thefe animals, and even to repeat and modify them, 

 in order that we may not be obliged to make more than one experiment on animals of greater 

 value, fuch as the fheep, the hog, &c. 



Columella has made mention of hens with five toes. This race of the fpecies of the cock 

 and hen exifts at prefent. It appears that the fifth toe is a monftrofity ; but there is reafon 

 rather to be furprized that this monftrofity fhould have been perpetuated from generation to 

 generation, during fo great a number of years, and that they flieuld have been a conftant race, 

 well known to be of value before the time of Columella ; if they have not degenerated, 

 they furely deferve to be multiplied. I propofe putting them to various trials. We know 

 not whether the race of fowls without rumps, and confequently without tails, are not as an- 

 cient as thofe with five toes ; but they really exift : and this alfo is a monftrofity. TJiere is 

 a race of fowls, which they call negroes, becaufe they have the comb, the wattles, the flcin, 

 and the periofteum, if a black colour. Are there not means of making this colour difap- 

 pear, or at leaft of weakening it ? Experiments made on thefe fowls would be equally inte- 

 refting with thofe with five toes, to natural hiftory, anatomy, and phyfiology ; particularly by 

 the mixture of thefe three races with each other, and with the common race of fowls. Would 

 this mixture vary the number of toes ? Would the rump and the tail be completely, or only 

 partly, formed ? I have been informed that there have been fowls with only half a rump and 

 tail. 



There are to be feen in the Garden of Plants a fmall number of ftieep of the Spanifli 

 race, of a fuperior fleece, who have been from the moment of tlieir birth continually ex- 

 pofed, 



