Mammalia. 127 



Test the sense of smell in rabbits. Does it use this sense in 

 judging food ? Has it a keen sense of taste ? Try to test the 

 sense of taste without also bringing into use the sense of smell. 

 Test the sense of touch. What is the use of the " whiskers " ? 

 Do you think a rabbit possesses any sense that you do not have, 

 or lacks any that you have ? 



4. Are rabbits cleanly in their habits ? Do they wash their 

 paws and faces as do cats ? Do rabbits shed hair ? Do they 

 change their color during the year ? Do rabbits have parasites ? 

 If so, what kinds ? Do they do anything to get rid of them ? 

 Can you do anything for such troubles ? Are rabbits espe- 

 cially subject to any diseases ? If so, what are they, and what 

 can you do to prevent disease, or to cure it if it has become 

 established ? 



EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE RABBIT. 



1. Note the shape and proportions of the body. The ante- 

 rior part of the body, distinguished by the ribs, is the chest, or 

 thorax; the soft-walled, posterior part is the abdomen. Note 

 the relative size of the fore and hind limbs. Are the soles of 

 the feet bare or hairy ? How many toes has each foot ? Are 

 there claws ? Are they weak or strong ? How do they differ 

 from those of a cat ? In the hind limb how much belongs to 

 the foot ? 



2. How many kinds of hair do you find on a rabbit? The 

 short hairs, making the most of the coat, are the fur. How do 

 the hairs of the fur differ from the other hairs ? Press hair and 

 fur aside till you can see the skin ; is the color the same in the 

 deeper parts as near the outside ? Pull out hairs of different 

 sorts ; has an individual hair the same color from end to end ? 

 Are the different hairs of the same thickness and strength ? Are 

 they all rooted to the same depth in the skin ? Are the hairs 

 glossy or dull-surfaced ? Do they seem oily ? Do they become 

 wet easily ? Compare them with the hairs of a mink or muskrat 

 in these respects. Examine different hairs under a microscope. 



