104 
22. RABBET. 
PROLIFIC. 
RN BY BE 4 Crass I, 
Cuniculus. The Rabbet, or Lepus cuniculus. Lia (pfs 
Cony. Raii f/yn. quad. 205. gs 
Meyer's an. 1. Tab. 83. Lepus cauda breviflima pa- 
Gefner quad. 362. pillis rubris. Fauz. Suec. 
Lepus eaudatus, obfcure cinere- 26. 
us. Briffon quad. 95. Cuniculus terram fodiens; 
De Buffon Tom. vi. 303. ‘Tab. Klein quad. 52. 
50, 52% Br. Zool. 43. Syn. quad. No. 
186. 
Brit. Cwningen Ger. Koniglein, Kaninchin 
Fren, Le Lapin Dut. Konyn 
Ital. Coniglio _ Swed. Kanin 
Span. Conejo Dan. Kanine 
Port. Coelho 
T’ is well obferved by Pkwy, that nature ‘* hath 
‘“fhewed great kindnefs, in caufing thofe things 
©to be moft prolific, that are the moft harmlefs 
‘ and the propereft for our food *.’ 
This excellent obfervation of his, cannot be 
better illuftrated than in fhewing the great fruit- 
fulnefs of this animal; as it far exceeds that proof, 
brought by the ingenious author of the ceconomy » 
of nature, in fupport of the fame quotation. The 
inftance he produces is the pigeon; whofe increafe, 
from one pair, may in four years amount to 
14.760 +: but rabbets will breed feven times a 
* Benigna circa hoc natura, innocua et efculenta animalia 
fecunda generavit. Lib. vill. ¢, 55. 
+ Vide Swede Effays, tranflated by Mr. Szilingfieer, Ed. 
Ay is iM 
year, 
