BABBITS 183 



shorts; and a supply should always be kept 

 within their reach. 



Directions for breeding. Babbits will mate 

 and breed every two months or so. When the 

 doe desires the buck, as the male rabbit is 

 called, she will announce it by stamping with 

 her feet and behaving restlessly. The period 

 of gestation is four weeks, and when the young 

 are about to be born the mother will tear fur 

 from her breast and form a soft bed for them. 

 She should then be given a hutch quite to her- 

 self, and left undisturbed. Your curiosity will 

 be great to see the little ones, but it is better 

 to restrain it until, a fortnight later, they be- 

 gin to be brought out for air. They mature 

 rapidly, but should be left with the mother five 

 or six weeks, unless she shows by fighting them 

 away that she is weaning them earlier. The 

 young should not be given as fresh, rich food 

 as the old rabbits, but selected and somewhat 

 dry and wilted food. The first litter is some- 

 times lost, by bad mothering, but rarely a sec- 

 ond or subsequent one. 



Babbits are subject to various diseases, but 

 these can usually be prevented by good care. 



