Chap. IV. FERAL RABBITS. 113 



rapidly, that they became a nuisance, and actually caused the 

 abandonment of the settlement. Thirty-seven years subse- 

 quently, Cada Mosto describes them as innumerable ; nor is 

 this surprising, as the island was not inhabited by any beast 

 of prey or by any terrestrial mammal. We do not know the 

 character of the mother-rabbit ; but we have every reason to 

 believe that it was the common domesticated kind. The Spanish 

 peninsula, whence Zarco sailed, is known to have abounded 

 with the common wild species at the most remote historical 

 period. As these rabbits were taken on board for food, it is 

 improbable that they should have been of any peculiar breed. 

 That the breed was well domesticated is shown by the doe 

 having littered during the voyage. Mr. Wollaston, at my 

 request, brought home two of these feral rabbits in spirits of 

 wine; and, subsequently, Mr. W. Haywood sent to me three 

 more specimens in brine, and two alive. These seven specimens, 

 though caught at different periods, closely resembled each other. 

 They were full grown, as shown by the state of their bones. 

 Although the conditions of life in Porto Santo are evident! v 

 highly favourable to rabbits, as proved by their extraordinarily 

 rapid increase, yet they differ conspicuously in their small size 

 from the wild English rabbit. Four English rabbits, measured 

 from the incisors to the anus, varied between 17 and 17-2. 

 inches in length ; whilst two of the Porto Santo rabbits were 

 only 144 and 15 inches in length. But the decrease in size 

 is best shown by weight; four wild English rabbits averaged 

 3 lb. 5 oz., whilst one of the Porto Santo rabbits, which had lived 

 for four years in the Zoological Gardens, but had become thin 

 weighed only 1 lb. 9 oz. A fairer test is afforded by the com- 

 parison of the well-cleaned limb-bones of a P. Santo rabbit 

 killed on the island with the same bones of a wild English rabbit 

 of average size, and they differed in the proportion of rather 

 less than five to nine. So that the Porto Santo rabbits have 

 decreased nearly three inches in length, and almost half in 

 weight of body- The head has not decreased in length pro- 



d ™f ^ sjJtiS zrr tf wMch «"**« *- 



according to Spallanzani (« Voyage da M Z 1 ri T f^ 2 ^ " ]es 



les deux Siciles,' quoted by Goditm but S " ^ de ***"* S ° nt pluS 



l'Espece, p. 364), a countryman turned C es ticit!e » ""^ * * ^ en 

 VOL. I. 



