March, 1923 
The Queensland Naturalist. li 
Aoeording to one E'aro])eau authority (17, p. 446), 
''the yoiiuK rabbit may begin breeding lat the 
age of three months,” the period of gestation 
being thirty days. This is considered by many 
to lie the experience in Queensland, where the first 
litter may thus be produced at four months. In New 
Soutli Wales it hasJ been stated (18, p. 8) that there is 
sufficient evidence that they Jiot only breed at four 
months, bait at times at three.” The rabbit attains an 
age of seven or eight years f7, p. 494), and may produce 
nine fitters in a year. Tlie average fitter may be pait 
■down at ,dx. Tlie rate of increase is, however, in Queens- 
land. largely dependent upon the season and the abnnd- 
anee or scarcity of food, comparatively little breeding 
taking place in time of drought. It is, notwitiistanding, 
evident that the rate of increase is very high. 
Antiquity of Test. — The record of the rabbit as a 
nuisance to man extends to ancient limes. Pliny tells 
us (3. p. 849) that rabbits iiroduced famine in lli.e Balearic 
Ls'lands by destroying the harvests, and that the inhabit- 
ants petitioned tlie Emperor Augustus to send soldiers 
to reduce the nnmibers of the. rodents. On the authority 
of Varro it is stated (3, Vol. II. , p. 295) that a town in 
Spain was undermined by their barrows. This writer 
is careful to let us know tliat he S'jieaks’ friun personal 
experience, for he makes Appins say; ”Vou Varro 
were so many years in Spain that 1 believe the 
rabbits there followed you here” (i.e., to Italy). Strabo, 
also, states (4, Book III., p, 252) that prior to his day 
rabbits were, in Spain, "so great a nuisance that even 
houses and trees Avei'e overturned (lieing undermined) 
by their tvarrens.” However much one may be dis- 
posed to receive these venerable tales Avith caution, cer- 
tain it is that Spain had the reputation of being rabbit- 
infested. The Roman poet, Catullus,’^ confirms this by 
alluding to a native of that country as ‘‘rabbit-AA^arren'd 
Celtiberia’st ,»on” (19, p. 63). 
Coming to later times Ave find the great French 
Naturalist, Buffon.;j; saying (20, p. 139), "rabbits 
do yet muJti])ly s'o prodigiously in almost every f)lace to 
AA-hieli they are transported lliat it is no longer possible to 
extirpate tliem, and no small art is required in order to 
'* C. Valerius Catullus, B.C. 
t Celtiberia, ie., Arragon, 
X Comte Georges L. L. de Buffon, A.D. 1707-1788. 
