26 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



in other respects, but we know how greatly things have 

 altered in that way. 



We sometimes hear of twenty-eight, and even twenty- 

 nine, inches of ear, but we do not often see them, yet I 

 have even in 1902 more than once judged classes, 

 containing youngsters well under five months old, whose 

 ears gave an easy measurement exceeding twenty-six inches 

 in length by six inches in width, and possibly another 

 half inch would have been stretched each way, but I 

 am not in favour of straining them beyond reasonable 

 limits. 



This goes to prove that although show secretaries 

 complain with good reason, the Lop Classes fill badly, and 

 therefore few, and sometimes none, are given at even 

 good shows, still there are some enthusiastic Lop fanciers 

 left capable of bringing out good stock, when the classes 

 and prizes offered, and the judge appointed, are considered 

 satisfactory for their entries to be made. 



You can hardly lay down any positive rule on the 

 subject, but roughly speaking I like the width to be 

 about a quarter of the length of the ears ; of course, 

 specimens vary much in this respect, sometimes one with 

 great length will fail in width, and it is when the two 

 combine somewhat in the proportions stated that per- 

 fection is approached. 



For my own part, I always make a point of taking the 

 measurement of all in the class unless some have short 

 thick ears with no chance of getting into the first four or 

 five and then go through the best four to select the three 

 prizes and reserve. 



