THE SILVER GREY RABBIT 105 



the under or pily coat paler and less decided in tint, the 

 silvering and ticking being composed of about ten white 

 hairs to one black one. 



" But in giving these figures, I am open to correction, 

 as it would be a difficult process to determine to a certainty ; 

 and yet this is the conclusion to which I have come, after 

 very careful examination of several high-class specimens 

 of both the colours. 



" For the show pen, I must admit that evenness is a 

 very desirable point, and where one of the darker variety 

 is found perfectly even I should allow fifteen points, 

 while in the lighter colour I would allow only ten points. 



" In judging a class of, say, twenty Silver Greys, my 

 method is as follows : I first go over them while in the pens, 

 selecting about a dozen that present some quality ; next 

 I examine them for silvering and evenness, selecting about 

 eight, and giving the remaining four a ' Commended ' 

 each ; then I take the others out and examine them 

 thoroughly, c Highly Commending ' about three and 

 the remaining five I have placed on a table, under a 

 strong light, when the veriest novice can select the three 

 winners, and the two .left out are entitled to a ' Very 

 Highly Commended ' each. 



"Well-ticked rabbits may be easily produced by 

 keeping up a cross of darker shade, or salt and pepper 

 coloured ones, with the clear light shades, this being the 

 whole secret of success ; but great care should be taken 

 to exclude all approach to the pinky or ochrey shade, 

 which would destroy all chance of attaining the coveted 

 frosted, glistening surface. 



