74 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



or carriage by doing so ; one hand should be placed under 

 the hind quarters, and the skin of the back grasped firmly 

 with the other. Indeed, this applies to most kinds of 

 rabbits, but more to those exceeding five pounds in 

 weight. 



It is not unusual to see Flemish Giants of twelve and 

 fourteen pounds, and we hear of specimens much heavier, 

 but they are not very often seen at the shows. 



Though I have no doubt that gelded bucks fed with 

 judgment, and coming of a large strain, might be brought up 

 a pound or two heavier, for all practical purposes, ten or 

 twelve pounds is a good useful weight either for show, if 

 good enough in its points, or for the table if that is the 

 breeder's object. 



Being such large animals, naturally they require 

 roomy hutches. For brood does, these are recommended 

 to be about five to six feet long, with one end parted 

 off for the litter by a three or four inch high board 

 stretching across the hutch, merely to avoid the nest being 

 disturbed, or the young ones crawling, or falling out ; if 

 the height of the hutch is from fifteen to eighteen inches, 

 it will be all the better, and avoid the tops of the ears 

 being injured, as the doe moves to and fro. 



Bucks' hutches should be provided with plenty of 

 room, but they need not be as long as for does, although 

 in other respects they should be as large. 



Large frames require ample nourishment, and to 

 obtain and preserve weight they must be fed with no 

 niggard scale of diet. 



Some of the most successful breeders make a practice 



