42 PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 



us quite recently : " I am afraid there are a good many 

 who do not understand what a proper coloured tortoise- 

 shell Dutch should be like in the colour I mean. My 

 idea of a good coloured tortoiseshell Dutch rabbit is 

 that the dark fur should be of a nice bright fawn on the 

 saddle, also on the face, with very dark slaty blue fur 

 shading on the muzzle, and running round the edge of 

 the cheeks up into the ears, which latter should be very 

 dark. The shading should also run along the sides of 

 the body and get darker as it reaches the hindquarters. 

 The hind feet should be very dark in shading. It is a 

 colour that is lasting." Breed tortoiseshell bucks to 

 black does bred from two tortoiseshells. 



OFF-COLOURS. 



It is not advisable to recommend the cultivation of 

 these colours, although, strange to say, some of the best 

 marked specimens are to be found amongst them. For 

 the sake of definite colour, however, we discourage 

 them. If fawns (or yellows), or blue greys, or blue 

 fawns, are mixed with the standard colours, the result 

 is deterioration of those established. 



Here is the standard of excellence laid down by the 

 United Kingdom Dutch Rabbit Club : 



Blaze and cheeks ... ... ... 15 



Clean neck ... ... ... ... 10 



Saddle ... ... ... ... 10 



Undercut ... ... ... ... 10 



Feet stops ... ... ... ... 15 



Ears ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Eyes 5 



Colour 10 



Size, shape, and condition ... ... 15 



100 

 Negative Points. 



Small specks on eyes to lose 10 points; discoloured 

 or wall eyes to lose 20 points; distinct spots or flesh 



