INTRODUCTORY 5 



group, mainly divided into greys, fawns or creams, and 

 browns, with subdivisions into light, medium and dark, 

 the shades of which sometimes so closely approach each 

 other as to cause exhibitors some difficulty to determine 

 in which class to make their entries, and give judges 

 great difficulty in making their awards. 



Another very popular variety is the Dutch, which is 

 the smallest of the rabbit tribe. They have one advantage 

 over most others, in showing at a very early age, by their 

 faint markings, whether they are worth keeping or not. 



They are also useful in another way, as they prove 

 the best of foster mothers, and of service when a doe has 

 a larger litter than she can safely rear, as it is not an 

 unusual circumstance when eight or ten youngsters 

 appear at one birth for them to be divided between the 

 mother and a little Dutch foster. 



Flemish Giants, as the name implies, are very large 

 rabbits, and at shows where as sometimes happens 

 prizes are offered for the heaviest rabbits, these are nearly 

 certain to take the awards. 



In some parts of this country these are very popular, 

 and largely kept, although not so much in the South and 

 West of England as in the Midlands and the North ; 

 but they make substantial items as table fare. 



Himalayan rabbits, presumably from their name, of 

 Eastern origin, are not a large variety, and I fancy, not 

 gaining in favour, as I have certainly seen less of them 

 the last ten years or so than formerly. 



In their case, markings are all important, the nose, 

 ears, fore and hind feet being as nearly black as possible, 



