The lipase activity of bacterial species isolated from the caecum of conventional rabbits was studied by means of two groups of tests: (1) bacteriologic isolation and an identification of nine aerobic and anaerobic clones and (2) incubation of each of these clones in the appropriate medium in the presence of labelled triolein (oleyl 1–14C), a biochemical analysis of the radioactivity of the fractions obtained. The main results can be expressed in the following way: maximum hydrolysis of glycerides is achieved by two species: Bacillus lichenifor-mis and Clostridium sporogenes. The reaction is proportional to the incubation time for incubations of less than 8 h. The release of fatty acids is concomitant to the synthesis of phospholipids and of fatty acid methyl esters.