THE BLACK AND TAN RABBIT 49 



usually good in colour and other respects, to have much 

 chance against smaller specimens of fair quality. 



Breeders of black and tans seem to find the male sex 

 predominates over the female in litters of this variety. 

 Consequently there are often a great number of young 

 bucks about five months old for sale at moderate prices, 

 as, at that age, a fair estimate can be formed whether 

 they will be good enough to keep. 



Purchasers should endeavour to see the parents of any 

 stock offered to them, and choose the offspring of the 

 best-coloured specimens. For breeding take a buck from 

 one strain and a doe from another, if possible both good in 

 colouring, but if not possible to do this, get a buck from 

 a well-tanned strain and a doe from a strain remarkable 

 for density of black and excellence in shape and type. 

 I would rather breed from a rather large-sized doe, 

 with a small typical buck, than the reverse, and should 

 expect better results. 



The blue and tans although at some large shows at 

 the present day classes are provided for them cannot be 

 treated as a distinct variety, as they are often met with 

 in litters from black and tan parents. 



They are very taking specimens, and I think more 

 often purer in their body colour, that is, less sprinkled 

 with light or tanned hairs than the black and tans ; and, 

 for this reason, a fair blue and tan, with decent tanned 

 markings, will often be put before a black and tan in the 

 show pens. 



Neither variety are very early in development, and 

 consequently it is not wise to part with any under four 



D 



