1 8 THE RABBIT 



a twofold object — to increase size, and ostensibly to 

 develop a rabbit of the form, colour, and fur of the 

 wild hare. 



After what has been stated above as to the very 

 different condition of the rabbit and hare at birth — 

 the young of the former being naked and blind, while 

 those of the latter are clothed with fur and with their 

 eyes open — it needs not much reflection to conclude 

 that a cross between these two animals is a physio- 

 logical impossibility. No scientific investigator who 

 has taken due precautions has ever succeeded in 

 obtaining such a hybrid. 



The so- called ' Leporine ' is merely a large 

 domesticated variety of the common rabbit, resem- 

 bling a hare in form and colour. On examination it 

 will be found that its forelegs are not above half the 

 length of those of the common hare, and if the fur of 

 the back be turned up, it will be seen that the hair 

 next the skin is quite dark instead of light coloured. 

 The experiment of turning out ' Belgian Hares ' for 

 the purpose of increasing the size of the ordinary wild 

 rabbit has often been made, and with partial success ; 

 but as they are very tame and confiding, and never go 

 to ground (for tame rabbits never burrow), they easily 

 fall a prey to vermin and poachers. If it is desired to 

 increase the size of the rabbits on ground where they 



