Rabbit Population
When one takes a walk in the early morning, the rabbit population is more obvious, even in places where few have been noticed before. Going up the road, I saw half-a-dozen in a neighbour's garden, feeding on the lawn and among the winter greens. Several others were on the road and among the gorse, and yet the road is quite busy most of the day. Three weeks ago the cat brought one in. It was half-grown. Breeding hardly stops before it begins again. I have handled a doe "in milk" in November and have seen youngsters on the field in early March. In spite of this, the natural mortality-rate is high, or there would be no holding them in check. The stoat takes a few, cats and dogs help, and the fox is a hand at stalking the youngsters. Inbreed- ing and over-breeding in the end probably do as much as anything to keep the numbers down, but in the spring, when the new generation suddenly appears in hordes on every hill and bank, it seems as though the .rabbit-tribe has multiplied with such effect that last year's popu- lation will be doubled and the garden left bare in six months.
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