TAMENESS OF RABBITS. 79 



ness in itself. The tamest mothers would also 

 be less liable to neglect or devour their offspring, 

 as rabbits commonly do when their young are 

 handled too soon, or even when merely frightened 

 by mice, &c., or disturbed by changed surround- 

 ings. 



(3) We must remember the extraordinary fecun- 

 dity of the rabbit and the excessive amount of 

 elimination that consequently takes place either 

 naturally or artificially. Where nature preserved 

 only the wildest, man has preserved the tamest. 

 If there is any truth in the Darwinian theory, this 

 thorough and long-continued reversal of the se- 

 lective process must have had a powerful effect. 

 Why should it not be amply sufficient to account 

 for the tameness and mental degeneracy of the 

 rabbit without the aid of a factor which can readily 

 be shown to be far weaker in its normal action 

 than either natural or artificial selection ? Why 

 may not the tameness of the rabbit be transferred 



