CHAPTER XIV 



THE ENGLISH RABBIT 



FROM the fact that when I was a schoolboy I used to ex- 

 pend some of my strictly-limited allowance, or, as I then 

 used to call it, weekly pay, in the purchase of rabbits of 

 this variety, I expect it was the commonest then in vogue 

 with the bird-shop keepers, and therefore considered by 

 the rising generation as the kind which rendered the best 

 value for their money. 



As I said in my introductory remarks, it was origin- 

 ally called the " Spotted Butterfly," and as the character- 

 istic marks, or spots, have been continued ever since, and 

 a butterfly-shaped mark on the upper part of the nose is 

 still insisted on, there was no special reason for altering 

 its title, except that everything " English" has been in 

 fashion for some years past, and this is, I believe, really an 

 English breed, and so the name fitted well. 



Probably, from my early associations, I have always 

 had a kindly feeling towards this variety, and am pleased 

 to see the rapid strides it has made in popular favour, and 

 there are so many apparently trifling matters which have 

 to combine in one specimen before it can step into the 



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