rabbit (which should be young), remove the
breastbone, and bone the legs. Put the rabbit, slices of ham, forcemeat
balls, and hard eggs, by turns, in layers, and season each layer with
pepper, salt, pounded mace, and grated nutmeg. Pour in about 1/2 pint of
water, cover with crust, and bake in a well-heated oven for about 1-1/2
hour. Should the crust acquire too much colour, place a piece of paper
over it to prevent its burning. When done, pour in at the top, by means
of the hole in the middle of the crust, a little good gravy, which may
be made of the breast- and leg-bones of the rabbit and 2 or 3
shank-bones, flavoured with onion, herbs, and spices.

_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, from 1s. to 1s. 6d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from September to February.

Note.--The liver of the rabbit may be boiled, minced, and mixed with the
forcemeat balls, when the flavour is liked.

FECUNDITY OF THE RABBIT.--The fruitfulness of this animal has
been the subject of wonder to all naturalists. It breeds seven
times in the year, and generally begets seven or eight young
ones at a time. If we suppose this to happen regularly for a
period of four years, the progeny that would spring from a
single pair would amount to more than a million. As the rabbit,
however, has many enemies, it can never be permitted to increase
in numbers to such an extent as to prove injurious to mankind;
for it not only furnishes man with an article of food, but is,
by carnivorous animals of every description, mercilessly
sacrificed. Notwithstanding this, however, in the time of the
Roman power, they once infested the Balearic islands to such an
extent, that the inhabitants were obliged to implore the
assistance of a military force from Augustus to exterminate
them.

RAGOUT OF RABBIT OR HARE.

982. INGREDIENTS.--1 rabbit, 3 teaspoonfuls of flour, 3 sliced onions, 2
oz. of butter, a few thin slices of bacon, pepper and salt to taste, 2
slices of lemon, 1 bay-leaf, 1 glass of port wine.

_Mode_.--Slice the onions, and put them into a stewpan with the flour
and butter; place the pan near the fire, stir well as the butter melts,
till the onions become a rich brown colour, and add, by degrees, a
little water or gravy till the mixture is of the consistency of cream.
Cut some thin slices of bacon; lay in these with the rabbit, cut into
neat joints; add a seasoning of