ABYSSINIAN CAVIES 295 



of size and type ; and a boar with those points strongly 

 developed which are most deficient in the sows, such as 

 well-moustached face, bright or well-distributed colours, 

 or abundance of rosettes ; but rely on hardness of coat 

 and size, and brilliancy of the eyes, as features in the 

 sows likely to be transmitted to their progeny. 



What I said as to the age of those intended to be used 

 for breeding purposes, and the mode of feeding both 

 adults and young, when dealing with Peruvians, will, I 

 think, be equally applicable to this variety, and need not be 

 repeated here. 



I advocated straw as bedding for the former, but I 

 think peat moss as good as anything for Abyssinians ; I 

 am not in favour of it for Peruvians, because when it gets 

 wet I fancy it has a tendency to stain the ends of their 

 long coat, and render them unsightly, more especially those 

 wholly white, or with yellow and white, or with either of 

 those shades as the main features in their colours. 



Abyssinians are usually active, bright little creatures 

 and should have roomy hutches ; a number of young 

 boars or sows may be run together if they are found 

 to agree, but not mixed sexes after five or six weeks 

 old. 



In genial weather they will greatly enjoy a few hours 

 in a wirecl-in pen without bottom, only sides and tops to it, 

 placed on a grass plot, and they will amuse themselves by 

 nibbling the grass as if cut with a lawn mower, and be 

 all the better for the change and fresh air. 



With these, as with all other live stock, it is most 

 important to have regular times of feeding and stick to 



