NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RABBIT 35 



Stakes of larch, well put in, will probably last as long 

 as the young wood needs protection. 



Fences, designed to keep rabbits only out of young 

 plantations, may be made to cost considerably less 

 than one shilling per yard. A rabbit-warren fence 

 4 ft. high, with flap-turned top and bottom, is made 

 of \\ in. wire netting, ' strong,' 36 in. wide for the top 

 of the fence, and i J in. netting, 24 in. wide, for the 

 bottom, costing together about 40^-. per 100 yards ; 

 stout oak stakes to match, one yard asunder. No. 4 

 galvanised wire rope for the top, double or single, 

 annealed wire to support the turned-in flap, staples 

 and labour, complete, all done by the piece, cost from 

 li". to li". 3(/. per yard run, and will resist cattle and 

 horses. 



It is, perhaps, not generally known that, in addition 

 to old roots and hay, which make the best winter food, 

 rabbits are fond of acorns, and fatten well on them. 

 The oak, indeed, is an invaluable tree in game 

 coverts : for not only rabbits, but pheasants, wood- 

 pigeons, and wild-ducks are all ver>" partial to acorns, 

 and feed greedily on them. Mr. J. Simpson, of 

 Wortley, recommends them especially for feeding 

 rabbits in warrens. Writing in llie Field of Decem- 

 ber 9, 1893, he says : — 



' For the last five years the rabbits in the warren 



D 2 



