RABBIT 169 



suitable nature. On one shooting over which I have had 

 much good sport of variable character, not a rabbit was 

 to be found at one time. As giving sport during the 

 dead winter months, and a pleasing variety to the game- 

 bag at other seasons, it was decided to introduce the 

 rabbit on this ground. Accordingly, some artificial 

 burrows were constructed in two or three suitable 

 situations. These underground shelters were formed by 

 cutting fairly deep and narrow trenches, in which were 

 fixed either rough planks or draining-pipes of suitable 

 size. The trenches were then filled in, and over each 

 system of burrows a cartload of brushwood was thrown 

 to form an additional security against the foxes which 

 were fairly abundant in that locality. Some few couples 

 of wild rabbits were then turned into these burrows, and 

 by such simple means a goodly stock of rabbits was 

 shortly acquired on ground that was entirely new to 

 them. In fact I am well assured that thousands of 

 rabbits have been killed on this particular property in 

 the years which have passed since their introduction. In 

 all cases where it is desired to introduce the rabbit on to 

 new ground, or to secure new blood for the strengthening 

 of existing stocks, it will, I consider, be best to select 

 healthy wild rabbits ; that is to say, rabbits untainted by 

 any tame or fancy variety, or by the so-called Belgian 

 hare. The cross-bred rabbits sometimes met with are 

 wanting in hardiness of constitution, and they certainly 

 cannot be compared for sprightliness with the wild-bred 

 rabbit of pure descent, which as food for powder and 

 shot cannot, probably, be improved by alliance with any 

 semi-domesticated strain. 



The heaviest wild rabbit I have come across in my 

 own shooting experience weighed 3 Ib. 14 oz. This was 



