84 RABBITS, CATS, AND C A VIES 



or nine weeks old it is by no means an uncommon 

 occurrence for well-marked youngsters to commence a 

 a successful show career ; and downright good youngsters 

 will fetch very remunerative prices at an age, when most 

 other varities are not out of the nursery. 



All these reasons combined tend to keep up the 

 fame of the variety, and perhaps, especially amongst 

 beginners, Dutch are as much kept in this country 

 as any other of the fancy varieties. 



For, be it observed, they are essentially fancy rabbits ; 

 as a rule, the adults do not scale over five or six 

 pounds, frequently less, so that they are seldom 

 bred for table use, though, no doubt, some which 

 are mismarked at birth, or develop defects after- 

 wards, or run too big for the show pens, are killed 

 for the table, and I have known it asserted that 

 they are uncommonly good eating too. 



Of course, the colour is much a matter of taste ; 

 I like any of the colours, if the specimens are correctly 

 marked. I may lean a little to black, which shows 

 up well, if deep and pure, against the white ; although 

 I know many fanciers rank yellow as next in value 

 to black, I do not like it as well, as so many yellows 

 fail in colour of undercut, though a really good specimen 

 is very taking ; but I may mention, in passing, that 

 the young of this colour are longer in showing 

 their shades, and young fanciers desirous of bringing 

 out a topping yellow should not get rid of those 

 apparently almost plain white until nearly a week 

 old, when some idea of their merits may be gained. 



