PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 49 



When the young are matured enough to take away from 

 the doe, do not be discouraged if they happen to look a 

 poor colour in their nest fur, but wait and see the result 

 of the first moult what some breeders call " the ten- 

 weeks' moult," and then you will probably see a great 

 difference in the colour. We are of opinion that you 

 can never see the beauty of a Flemish Giant, or discern 

 truly what it will make, until it reaches the age of six 

 months. When it is in bloom, with that lovely steel 

 colour and shading, is the correct time to show a 

 Flemish Giant. Their coats in our opinion are some- 

 thing like a flower. They bud, bloom, and fade; then 

 moult again. You will require a large-sized breeding 

 hutch for Flemish; indeed, a large-sized hutch always. 

 A good size is 4 feet in length, 20 inches wide and 16 

 inches high. If you should be fortunate to breed a litter 

 of four from tip-top blood, and only one of them should 

 happen to be a champion, a long way in front of the 

 others in point of merit, do not despise the others. All 

 are bred the same way possess the same blood, and, 

 in the end, may produce you better results than you will 

 get from the one that is a champion show specimen. 

 Never be too eager to part from the others of a litter 

 where a champion appears. 



HIHALAYANS. 



The Himalayan is familiarly known amongst 

 fanciers as " the black pointed rabbit." The breed has 

 not made such rapid strides in public favour, and as a 

 show specimen, as many others have done. The reason 

 usually given for this is their non-retention of colour in 

 the same degree as some of the other marked varieties. 

 And we think a further reason why they are not popular 

 with fanciers is that they do not appear to be so hardy, 

 or possess such a robust constitution as many others. 

 In the matter of non-retention of colour, some idea of 

 the disappointment often experienced by breeders of 

 exhibition Himalayans may be entertained when it is 

 pointed out that you may have a really first class show 

 Himalayan one week dense in all the black points, 

 such as nose, ears, and feet, and pure in its white fur, 



