48 PET RABBITS, CAV1ES, AND MICE. 



their means will allow, and on no account begin with 

 young that can be purchased for 2s., or 35. apiece 

 '* that will make winners," such as the smart men of 

 the rabbit Fancy advertise from time to time. If the 

 best are acquired at the start, there is a better prospect 

 of the beginner's hopes not being crushed, for it may 

 be truly said that many a man has given up the Fancy 

 in disgust because he has been deceived in this manner. 

 Therefore, by way of warning " Beware of dazzling 

 advertisements of prospective winners for sale at the 

 price of an old shoe." After a young doe has been 

 purchased, we advise the mating of the same to a stud 

 buck possessing superior points. For instance: if the 

 doe fails on feet, take care that you mate her to a buck 

 that excels in such. The same course should be 

 followed if the doe has not good body colour, or a light 

 chest, or bad ear carriage. Before breeding, make sure 

 that both rabbits are in perfect health, and that their 

 coats are free from any sign of looseness; and, in the 

 case of both, but certainly in that of the buck, be sure 

 that he is tight in skin not flabby and loose. The 

 tighter the coat and skin, and the more the fur glistens 

 and shines, the better. If you pay particular heed -o 

 this matter, disappointments will not cross your path 

 so much ; if you neglect it, you may find the young have 

 long and loose coats instead of those which are short in 

 the fur and sharp. All these apparently little matters 

 help to swell the points of excellence of the rabbit when 

 judged by the standard laid down, namely 100 points. 

 When the young are a couple of days old, take the doe 

 right out of the hutch and see how many she has in the 

 litter. Pick out those which look red along the stomach, 

 or as Fanciers call them, the " red-bellied ones." These 

 are the correct ones to keep. If you desire to grow them 

 large, or as one breeder puts it " to make giants of 

 them," only three or four should be allowed to remain 

 on the doe. Give the others to a foster doe; they will 

 do for the table. If you have no room for them, put 

 them under the water and drown them. Do not remove 

 the young left with the doe as long as she remains kind 

 to them ; but you must observe her closely as the young 

 grow older, for sometimes she will worry them, 

 especially if she is desiring to breed again. The longer 

 the young remain on the doe the larger they grow. 



