86 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



points to be aimed at, and a standard for judging 

 the variety, suggested by a successful breeder and 

 exhibitor of the variety. 



I may just say, that the body colour, whatever it is, 

 whether black, blue, yellow, grey or tortoiseshell , 

 should be as pure and decided as possible, not faded, 

 or washy-looking, as in that case it ill contrasts with 

 the white, which should also be as snowy as possible. 



Although it is sometimes done, probably with a view 

 to keeping down size, I am not an advocate for using 

 either sex at the stud until six months old or more, 

 as it stands to reason the progeny will be of better 

 constitution, if the parents, at least, approach 

 maturity. 



The does frequently have litters of seven and 

 eight, and even more, but it is wise to remove all 

 but the best four or five, at utmost, or the game 

 little mother may suffer from the strain put upon her 



The head is larger than it looks, from its peculiar 

 markings, with small erect ears ; eyes full, and rather 

 prominent, matching in colour ; both the ears and 

 eyes come into the colour of the cheek marks, oval in 

 shape, which come nearly to the edge of the lower jaw 

 each side, divided up the face by the blaze, which should 

 be as even as possible, narrowing towards the top 

 and run into the white at the back of the neck, which 

 should be clear of body colour ; the collar, between the 

 cheek markings and back markings (technically called 

 the saddle), as well as the whole of the chest, face, fore 

 feet and blaze, should be pure white. 



