356 



PET ANIMALS. 



The FLAT or PERFECT LOP, 

 is the most valuable of all the 

 fancy strains, and as this car- 

 riage of the ears is exactly the 

 reverse of the natural position, 

 rabbits possessing this pro- 

 = perty, and perfect in every 

 other respect, are highly prized. 

 The ears of a first-rate lop must 

 be so turned that the hollows 

 of them are backwards, and the 

 outer or convex part in front, and of course, correspond with each 

 other in fall, and the closer they keep to the side of the cheek, so as 

 to incline but little outwards, the more beautiful the animal is 

 reckoned. Five, and ten guineas, and even more, have been paid 

 for particularly fine specimens of this variety of the rabbit. If a 

 fancier possesses ten or twelve does, all of them perfect, or nearly so, 

 in their properties, he may consider himself fortunate if they pro- 

 duce him half-a-dozen first-rate lops in a season, for he must not 

 expect that all the young ones in a litter will be thoroughly perfect ; 

 if he does, he will be disappointed, as it most generally happens 

 that only one or two turn out of any value, the others being deficient 

 either in colour or the position of the ears. Although it is perfectly 

 impossible to insure the continuance of a fancy strain throughout all 

 the litters, yet it is advisable to take the utmost possible precautions 

 whereby so desirable an end may be in some measure secured. The 

 bucks and does should therefore be of the best blood, and the does 

 not allowed to kindle more than three or four times a year. The 

 food should also be particularly attended to, and the most nourish- 

 ing which can be procured given to them. Amongst the fancy 

 rabbits we must not omit the French variety distinguished by having 

 long hair, which curls almost like wool. By some persons this breed 

 is supposed to be a cross between the beautiful rabbit of Angora, and 

 the common white species. 



RABBIT HUTCHES AND COTES. 



Rabbit hutches should be 

 made very neatly, not merely 

 for elegance, but for the impor- 

 tant reason of cleanliness ; how- 

 ever, as it is not in every lad's 

 power to obtain well finished 

 ones, comfortable, though 

 homely- looking hutches maybe 

 easily constructed out of egg- 

 chests, which may be obtained 

 at any cheesemonger's shop, or 

 out of old tea chests ; the former 

 will serve as habitations for the 



