Q 2 PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 



itself to the formation of the beautiful wedge-shaped 

 blaze found on a Dutch rabbit. The saddle and under- 

 cut are two very important markings, and there is grow- 

 ing evidence of vast improvement in these points. The 

 feet stops are another very difficult marking to fix, but 

 progress is being made, and attention must be directed 

 to the prevention of brindling, and soundness of ear 

 colour. 



THE EVENLY-MARKED MOUSE 



Is very closely related to the Dutch-marked, and Mr. 

 Perrin thinks a great many fanciers breed those two 

 varieties together owing to their similarity of head and 

 saddle markings. Even-marks can be bred, and they 

 will breed true to markings. " A few years ago," says 

 Mr. Perrin, " I knew a certain fancier who made these 

 his special study, and although he started with chance- 

 bred evens, after a few months careful breeding he 

 began to breed some very well balanced five-patched 

 evens. This goes to prove that the winners of this 

 variety are not always * flukes.' " 



TRICOLOURS, OR SABLE AND WHITES. 



A very great improvement has been made in this 

 variety this year, and the colours of the specimens 

 black, chocolate and white, are very distinct. Any 

 mouse possessing three or more distinct colours ought 

 to take preference over the ordinary sable and white, 

 because the fawn generally shades off from a dark grey 

 patch, and when these are shown at their best, they are 

 very taking. The worst fault in sable and white mice is 

 that the colours change so often, but probably, as a 

 result of judicious mating with other breeds the colours 

 will become fixed. As soon as this is accomplished, 

 many more fanciers will take up the variety. A tri- 

 colour mouse, Mr. Perrin thinks, " should resemble a 

 tortoise and white cavy, and the patches should be 

 square and clean cut. No doubt some will say that 

 this is ' too previous,' but if we know what the ' ideal ' 

 is, it will be much better, because we can mate and 

 arrange our stock with the hope of coming near to the 

 ideal. At present it does not matter how they are 



