Practical Game Preserving. 



spring, which should be appearing in almost countless pro- 

 fusion, possessed with uncompromising appetites. The 

 fodder to be raised at this time in addition to the pasturage 

 may take the form of early vetches, clover, oats, or the like, 

 as may appear least expensive. Generally there is an odd 

 lot of swedes, carrots, kohl-rabi, &c., of inferior quality> 

 " left over," which may be purchased cheaply ; this is very 

 nourishing to the does, and consequently beneficial to the 

 young, which must on no account be stunted at an early 

 age, otherwise smallness of size and susceptibility to disease 

 will appear, and a deterioration of the stock ensue. It may 

 be remarked that this extra feeding in spring is by no means 

 always obligatory ; it is to be regarded as an exceptional want 

 which must not be overlooked when the occasion arises. 



In winter, however, most rabbit warrens require no incon- 

 siderable amount of extra food, more particularly when 

 heavily stocked, where the killing has not been done before 

 the close of autumn, and in what may be termed warrens 

 proper, in contradistinction to those we have briefly sketched, 

 where the land is for the most part of no other value, and 

 in which the rabbits lead a partly artificial life. Natural 

 warrens will invariably possess some coverts offering shelter 

 with a sufficiency of food in winter, and they should supply 

 grass and other food sufficient for two or three times the 

 number likely to remain after the killing season. Similarly, 

 in spring, in the case of these warrens, the land would indeed 

 be poor if it did not produce the necessary pasture for the 

 comparatively small quantity of stock it would then have 

 to carry. 



Two different sorts of food may be necessary, one for 



