4:8 Domesticated Animals. 



_ ... All the domesticated breeds of Rabbit appear to be 

 ' derived from the Wild Rabbit {Le^pus \_Or!jcterolagus] 

 cimkuhis) of which a normally-coloured and a black specimen are 

 exhibited. Examples of the English Black-and-white, the Silver- 

 grey, the Silver-brown, the Blue-imperial, the Blue-and-tan, the 

 Dutch, the Himalayan, and the Polish breed are shown, several of 

 which were presented by Inspector A. Brazier of the Metropolitan 

 Police. The names Dutch, Polish, and Himalayan do not indicate 

 the native countries of the breeds to which they are applied. 

 Largest of all is the so-called Belgian Rabbit or Hare, at one time 

 supposed to be a hybrid between the Rabbit and the Hare. A speci- 

 men presented by Mr. A. Crichett in 1901 is shown. The breed is 

 related to the still larger Flemish Giant Rabbit, of which there is an 

 example, presented by Inspector Brazier in 1901. A sandy Lop-eared 

 Rabbit, presented by Mr. B. A. Micklewright in 1901, represents 

 the breeds in which one or both ears are pendent. Very distinct is 

 the long-haired Angora Rabbit, a native of the country from which 

 it takes its name, and represented in the collection by a specimen 

 presented by Inspector Brazier in 1901. Among other specimens of 

 a similar nature, reference may be made to the skull of a Belgian 

 Rabbit with the incisors abnormally long, owing to a diet of meal. 

 This specimen was presented by Mr. W. Larcombe in 1900. 



H ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ -^^^^ semi-domesticated, and in most 

 w instances partially albinistic, breeds are kept in this 



nice. country. There is some uncertainty whether Domesti- 

 cated Rats belong to the Brown {Mus norvegicus) or to the Black 

 species {Mus rattus). Specimens of Pied Rats presented by the 

 Hon. Charles Rothschild in 1901 are exhibited. Of the Mouse 

 {Mus musculus) a series of domesticated varieties was presented in 

 1901 by Sir William Ingram. This series displays a gradation in 

 respect of colour from the dark wild race to complete albinism. In 

 the fawn-coloured phase the eyes are often claret-colour, and in one 

 of the white specimens they are black, although red in the second. 

 The pied specimens exhibit a different type of colouring. 



In one of the cases in the Central Hall is exhibited a 

 ° ' representative series of breeds of Domesticated Pigeons, 

 all of which appear to be descended from the Wild Rock-Pigeon, or 

 ' Blue Rock ' {Columha livia), of which specimens from the Ross- 

 shire coast are also shown. The specimens of Domestiaited Pigeons, 

 which have been presented to the Museum by a number of donors, 

 include the following breeds : Red Pied Pouter, Blue Pigmy Pouter, 



