2vS 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



The race exacts but little care, is seldom ill, 

 and its flesh is excellent. These Angora rabbits 

 should be combed weekly ; if neglected, their 

 appearance is woeful. There are other species 



A Ditch RAr.iirr 



besides the white ; the Russian Angoras, white 

 with black noses, ears, legs, and tails, are 

 comical to behold. 



The silver rabbits are also splendid animals, 

 whose skins are used by furriers and bring 

 great prices. They are small but immensely 

 prolific. At birth the little ones are black, at 

 three months the silver hair appears, and at 

 four months they have their true color. The 

 light colored are handsomer than the dark 

 colored, but the two shades 

 must never be mated, or the 

 young rabbits will be either too 

 light or too dark, which lessens 

 considerably the commercial 

 value of their skins. There is 

 also a silver-brown and a silver- 

 yellow animal, but these are 

 seldom or never met with in 

 this country. The two first 

 named are the most in vogue. 

 The finest specimens have a 

 uniform color ; even the nose, 

 paws, and tail should not be 

 darker than the body. 



The Dutcli rabbit is much the 

 smallest of all species. It is not difficult to raise, 

 but in order to have good specimens a large num- 

 ber should be raised and the finest chosen ; the 

 others can be sold to the markets. When the 

 markings are very clear these animals are ex- 

 tremely handsome. The engraving shows one 



which has attained very high distinction. The 

 culti\'ation of this species is wholly in the hands 

 of sporting breeders, especially Englishmen. 

 A man must be past master in the art of breed- 

 ing, and must ha\e practiced it for years 

 on this species, to obtain satisfactory re- 

 sults. There are different colors, — black, 

 yellow, steel-blue, etc. The essential thing 

 is to choose precisely the species which 

 will improve their descendants and yet keep 

 as near as possible to the prototype. Even 

 in Holland this indigenous rabbit has many 

 admirers, who are encouraged by a club 

 founded for the purpose, and by the prom- 

 ise of very high prizes at the shows. As yet 

 it has been found impossible to raise a breed 

 of which the \oung shall be uniform in their 

 markings. The Dutch rabbit is not particular 

 about its food and costs very little to raise. 

 Belgium has produced a rabbit that shows some- 

 what the same markings, but is half as heavy 

 again. The Brabant rabbit gives excellent meat 

 and is exported in great numbers to England. 

 '\\\QRiissia)i rabbit is most curiously marked. 

 It is all white except at its extremities, the 

 nose, ears, paws, and tail being jet-black. The 



A Russian K.msi'.it 



blacker these extremities the greater the value. 

 The fur is very thick and much in demand by 

 merchants. It is one of the smaller species 

 and is also called the Himalaya rabbit because 

 immense numbers are fovmd in the mountains 

 of that name. It is everywhere admired and 



