Rural School Leaflet 1091 



Editors' note. — The letter from Angelean tells its own story. Here is 



a wide-awake school, constantly doing things to improve the grounds, the 



building, and the equipment, and to increase the pupils' knowledge and 



interest. Behind it all there was a good teacher with whom, rather than 



for whom, the boys and girls worked. We are sorry that she could not 



stay to carry on the work another year, but we feel sure that with such 



a start each year will be full of new and valuable experiences for the 



children. We would like to receive more letters telling of work of thi? 



kind. 



District 11, Town of Lisle, Broome County 



Marathon, R. D. 4, New York, December 15, 1914 

 Dear Mr. Tuttle: 



My teacher and superintendent are anxious I should write you a letter 

 in regard to rabbits so I will do my best. 



I have about thirty rabbits and enjoy their company first-rate. I have 

 all colors and all sizes. Some are black, some white, yellow, maltese, 

 and striped ones. 



My rabbits are usually larger than the common gray rabbits of the 

 forest and when I wish to pick one up I usually take it by its long ears, 

 and they will ciirl up their little bodies like balls. My rabbits have very 

 long hind legs, too. 



When a rabbit hears a noise like danger he moves his long ears as fast 

 as he can to locate the sound and when he moves away he always uses 

 his long hind legs to jump with. He always leaps and never runs. 



The rabbit's nose is always sniffing, too, and this helps him to avoid 

 danger. Their eyes are very bright and round, and the white rabbitg 

 have pink eyes. The others have very dark eyes. 



Did you know that rabbits have hair on the bottom of their feet? 

 What is that for? 



They eat their food from the ground or from dishes or even your hand. 



My rabbits dig holes in the ground but not very deep ones, and these 

 they use for nests for their little ones. They line them with fur from 

 their bellies, and grass and weeds which they pull, and when the old mother 

 rabbit leaves her babies for a little while she covers them up with this hair 

 and grass. When a rabbit is three or four weeks old it can run very fast. 



Rabbits have two long teeth in front to gnaw with. It is these they 

 use when girdling young trees, and they have a little crease in the upper 

 lip so these teeth can work better. 



This fall I had an old mother rabbit die and leave seven little ones. 

 These little ones were taken in by another mother rabbit that had seven 

 of her own about the same age and she and I together raised these rabbits 

 until they were old enough to wean. My mother let me keep them in the 

 kitchen behind the stove where it was warm, and it was lots of fun to watch 

 the old rabbit eat. It is amusing, too, to hear and see rabbits drum with 

 their hind legs to let the others know of danger coming. 



I thinlc I have made you tired, but when I talk of rabbits I am wound up. 



Yours truly, 



BLENFORD HAMILTON 



