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Rabbits, 1907-1950

 Sub-Series
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.10161/1/6

Scope and Contents

*This is an interim catalogue description. Only the first five notebooks have been catalogued as part of the Bateson Digitisation Project on CUDL.

A series of notebooks recording William Bateson and Reginald Punnett’s experiments in rabbit breeding.

In contrast to the experiments on sweet peas or chickens, which were to a great degree seasonal, with hatching and sowing occurring mainly in the spring, rabbit breeding went on all the year round. Although many progeny were killed shortly after birth, some were kept for longer, in some cases up to 18 months to 2 years. Some entries in the books therefore span two to three years. There is no record of where the rabbit breeding was done, or where the rabbits were kept, but there were obviously considerable numbers, up to 300 in 1924-1925.

The first series of notebooks (which begins with a book labelled ‘Rabbits’ and continues with books labelled alphabetically) runs from December 1907 to December 1925. A second series then begins again with letters A-S running through to 1941, ending with an unlabelled book which has records up to 1950. Since Punnett retired in 1943, this particular book may record experiments carried out by his successor, R.A. Fisher. Some books are missing from each letter series, and it is not clear whether these books are actually missing or whether the letters were not used in the series. There are no major chronological gaps in the dates which would correspond to missing books.

The inside front cover of each notebook usually contains an index list of rabbits. The general format of the record is that each animal has a separate page. The page is headed with the cross, e.g. ex Y81 x YB4, which denotes the parents. The birth date is recorded, together with phenotypic characteristics such as coat colour etc., followed in some cases by a dated series of measurements. What these measurements are is not recorded, but they are probably weights, since the later ones tend to go up and down. Many animals are recorded as being killed shortly after birth.

Dates

  • Creation: 1907-1950

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Extent

36 volume(s) : paper

Language of Materials

English

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Notebooks bound in white or green boards; most are labelled on the cover with a letter.

Existence and Location of Copies

Notebooks MS Add.10161/1/6/1-5 have been digitised on the Cambridge Digital Library as part of the Bateson Project, funded by the Wellcome Trust. Links are provided at item levels.

General

5 volumes of 36 have been catalogued only.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom