ANi.\iAi.s. i;9*) 



in true RmniUi taste, witli ii;ii>k'y, liei", viiicjjar, ciimnnn seed, 

 :uul coriander.^ 



TIIK llAUBIT. 



The Iiarc and the rabbit, though so vejy nearly resembling 

 each other in form and disposition, are yet distinct kinds, as they 

 refuse to mix with each other. Mr Buffon bred up several of 

 both kinds in the same place ; but from being at first indifferent, 

 they soon became enemies ; and their combats were generally 

 continued until one of them was disabled or destroyed. How- 

 ever, though these experiments were not attended with success, 

 1 am assured that nothing is more frequent than an animal bred 

 between these two, but which, like the mule, is marked with 

 sterility. Nay, it has been actually known that the rabbit couples 

 with aninnals of a much more distant nature ; and there is at pre 

 sent in the Museum at Brussels, a creature covered with feathers 

 and hair, and said to be bred between a rabbit and a hen. I'he 

 fecundity of the rabbit is still greater than that of the hare ; and 

 if we should calculate the produce from a single pair in one year, 

 the number would be amazing. They breed seven times in a 

 year, and bring eight young ones each time. On a supposition, 

 therefore, that this happens regularly, at the end of four years a 

 couple of rabbits shall see a progeny of almost a million and a 

 half. From hence we must justly ai)])rehend being overstockiul 

 by their increase ; but, happily for mankind, their enen:ies are 

 numerous, and their nature inoffensive; so that their destructi(jn 

 bears a near proportion to their fertility. 



But although their numbers be diminished by every beast and 

 bird of prey, and still more by man himself, yet there is no daji- 

 ger of their extirpation. The hare is a poor defenceless animal, 

 that has nothing but its swiftness to depend on for safety; its 

 numbers are, therefore, every day decreasing ; and in countries 

 that are well peojjled, the species are so much kept under, that 

 laws are made for their preservation. Still, h-owever, it is most 

 likely that they wOl be at last totally destroyed ; and, like the 

 wolf or the elk in some countries, be only kept in remembrance. 

 But it is otherwise with the rabbit, its fecundity being gi'eater, 



5 Viil. Apii-ii, ivc. 



