56 PET RABBITS, CAV1ES, AND MICE. 



points of excellence, condition and coat score nearly 

 one third of the allotted total, so that a fancier of Polish 

 in order to be successful, would need to devote some 

 time to preparation, or as the Fancy styles it, grooming. 

 Mr. G. A. Townsend, of Leeds, a great admirer and 

 excellent judge of Polish, tells us that to obtain the coat 

 and condition most desirable, it is necessary to have 

 both parents in the best of coat when mated. So that 

 like would seem to produce like in this case. It is not 

 always so with animals, although some critics would 

 try and persuade us to the contrary. Polish are in full 

 bloom at from eight to ten months old, and the best are 

 bred in winter, probably in January and February. 

 Those who keep them declare that these delicate and 

 fascinating dwarfs of the rabbit family are very clean in 

 their habits. Perhaps they are aware of the purity of 

 their dress, and that soils spoil. " The best way to 

 remove any dirt from the coat of a Polish," says the 

 authority just alluded to, " in places where the rabbits 

 cannot well reach to clean themselves, is by the aid of 

 a bread crust not too dry. Be careful the bread is clear 

 of grease, and mind you do not pull the ears in hand- 

 ling. Some use a damp wash-leather to rub the rabbit 

 down with. Polish need constant grooming, and a 

 good plan is to dip the hands in dry corn flour, which 

 will improve the coat, leave it glossy, and enable it the 

 better to defy the dirt of the show pen." Mr. Town- 

 send naively adds the advice to the groomer to see that 

 he leaves none of the corn flour in the coat, or " dire 

 consequences may follow." Of course he means allega- 

 tions of faking, etc. Some advocate the avoidance of 

 hay bedding, owing to the dust, etc., but that is a 

 matter of opinion in which we do not quite concur. 



ANGORAS. 



A great deal of energy and zeal on the part of 

 breeders of this variety has secured for it of later years 

 a considerable advance in popular favour. It is of no 

 use anyone with a limited stock of patience taking up 

 the breeding and exhibiting of Angora rabbits. If 

 they do they are foredoomed to failure. The great 



