I go Practical Game Preserving. 



think, between 2s. and 35. apiece. If, owing to costliness, 

 the number obtained be too small to effect any marked result 

 among the wild rabbits when turned down, other means may 

 be taken to secure a sufficiency. There may, however, be 

 warrens of silver-greys already existing, and, no doubt, by a 

 little inquiry, one could obtain a good quantity. In any 

 case, breeding could be resorted to the first one or two 

 years ; and as the silver-grey is nearly as prolific in confine- 

 ment as the " real old sort" in its unrestricted state, the 

 process would be expeditious and inexpensive. 



As to the market there may be for the skins of "blue" 

 rabbits, we believe the price varies from three to six times 

 that of common wild rabbits. There are special demands for 

 silver-grey rabbit skins, and communication with the con- 

 sumers through some trade journal would secure a good 

 price. 



It may be remarked that silver-greys, when turned down 

 into rabbit warrens, eventually degenerate into what are 

 termed " millers," the longest of the hairs being uniformly 

 black, while the colour of the fur acquires a sort of half-and- 

 half hue, neither grey nor blue, but partaking more of dirty 

 slate colour. At other times, but less frequently, the white 

 of the outer hair takes an entirely white hue, and the result 

 is a " mealy." The name sufficiently indicates the colour of 

 the fur. The cause of deterioration of the rabbits' coat is 

 obviously in-and-in breeding, which has to be carefully 

 avoided if one would maintain the character of the newly- 

 introduced stock ; and in order to prevent the occurrence 

 of any such untoward result, a fresh load must be introduced 

 about every two years. One curious fact about silver-greys 



