170 'FLESH SIZE CATTLE SHOW. 



potatoe oats, comparatively ; but could find no dif- 

 ference in the goodness of the flesh. The rabbit's 

 flesh being dry, the allowance of succulent greens 

 may tend to render it more juicy ; and I suppose 

 the old complaint of the dryness of the flesh in 

 Devon beef entirely fed with hay, might be reme- 

 died in the same way. Rabbits are in perfection 

 for feeding at the FOURTH or SIXTH month ; beyond 

 which period, their flesh becomes more dry and 

 somewhat hard. It requires THREE months, or 

 nearly so, to make a rabbit thoroughly fat and, ripe ; 

 half the time may make them eatable, but by no 

 means equal in the quality of the flesh. They may 

 yet be over fattened, as appears by specimens exhi- 

 bited a few years since at Lord Somerville's show, 

 which were loaded with fat without and within, like 

 the best feeding sheep ; and at the late London 

 cattle show, two were exhibited, one of them ex- 

 ceeding the weight of 151bs. 



The FLESH of the rabbit is esteemed equally di- 

 gestible as that of fowls, and equally proper for the 

 table of the invalid. This seems to be the general 

 sentiment, especially with regard to the sucking 

 rabbit boiled. There 'is, nevertheless, some discre- 

 pancy of judgment between our sages of the table, 

 as to the preference due to the wild or tame rabbit. 

 In our opinion, the flesh of the wild rabbit is most 

 savoury and substantial, that of the tame and home- 

 fed, most delicate and chicken-like. We frequently 

 observe a deep yellow suffusion, tinging the whole 

 flesh and fat of the rabbit, and the same also in the 

 turkey and in beef. I could never conjecture or ob- 



