THE ANGORA RABBIT 91 



about six or seven in number, though cases are met with 

 occasionally of nine or ten. 



I do not think it wise to mate the does until at least 

 nine or ten months old, and prefer not to use the bucks 

 at the stud until nearly a year old. 



The does generally are very attentive, affectionate 

 mothers, but rather jealous of any interference with the 

 litters, which should be handled or disturbed as little as 

 possible in the early days after their birth, except of 

 course to remove any dead, deformed, or sickly youngsters, 

 which are better got rid of at once. 



The young may be left with their mother till eight or 

 nine weeks old, and although nothing special may be re- 

 quired in the way of feeding, of course she must be well 

 kept up on nourishing food while she is suckling. 



The hutches must, at all times, be kept scrupulously 

 clean ; I prefer longish straw for bedding to any other 

 material, being less likely to get into the coats, although 

 hay may be given (preferred in a little rack, at the side 

 or corner of the outer part of the hutch) for feeding. 

 No one but those who have kept them can appreciate 

 the nuisance of getting sawdust, pe^t-fibre, or hay seeds 

 into the coats, or the trouble given to get rid of them, 

 and any of these are very prejudicial to their chances in 

 the show pens. 



All exhibitors of the variety will, at some time or 

 another, have been annoyed at their pets being penned 

 beneath poultry, or pigeons, and finding the animals, on 

 which much care and time have been expended in prepar- 

 ing them for exhibition, quite spoiled in appearance by 



