Class I. RABBET. 131 



' to be most prolific, that are the most harmless 

 * and the properest for our food.** 



This excellent observation of his, cannot be Prolific. 

 better illustrated than in shewing the great fruit- 

 fulness of this animal ; as it far exceeds that 

 proof, brought by the ingenious author of the 

 oeconomy of nature, in support of the same quo- 

 tation. The instance he produces is the pigeon, 

 whose increase, from one pair, may in four 

 years amount to 14,760 ij" but rabbets will 

 breed seven times a year, and bring eight young 

 ones each time ; on a supposition this happens 

 regularly, during four years, their numbers 

 will amount to 1,274,840. By this account, 

 we might justly apprehend being overstocked 

 with these animals, if they had not a large 

 number of enemies which prevent the too great 

 increase ; not only men, but hawks, and beasts 

 of prey, make dreadful havoke among the 

 species. Notwithstanding these different ene- 

 mies, we are told by Pl'my^ and Strabo, that 

 they once proved so great a nuisance to the 

 .inhabitants of the Balearic islands, that they 

 were obliged to implore the assistance of a 



* Benigna circa hoc natura, innocua et esculenta animalia 

 fcecunda generavii. Lib. viii. c 55. 



f Vide Swedish Essays, translated by Mr. StilUngJleet, Ed. 

 1st. p. 75. 



K 2 



