530 



THE NATURE BOOK 



RABBIT. 



of the most popu- 

 lar of pets, and as 

 it is such a fragile 

 member of the 

 feathered tribe it 

 should receive very 

 gentle treatment. 

 It is \'ery easily 

 frightened, and in 

 removing it from 

 its cage the hand 

 should be placed 

 swiftly over its 

 body, so as to 

 keep the wings 

 down and leave the 

 head perfectly free. Great care 

 must be taken to grasp the bird 

 quite lightly and no undue pres- 

 sure exerted, or internal injury will 

 be the result. The illustrations on 

 page 529, show distinctly how the 

 bird should l^e held for remox'al. 

 and also when it is 

 to examine the wing 

 trouble. 



Too little attention 

 upon the handling of 

 fowl. Familiarity so often ]:)reeds 

 contempt, and provided the l>ir(l is 

 caught — by the leg, or the wing, 

 whichever is handiest — other con- 

 siderations are ignored. Of course, 

 much depends upon the temper of 

 the bird, and if it be '.'icious the 

 result is even rougher handling than 

 would otherwise be the case. The 



KITTEN 



illustration on this page shows the 

 correct method to handle a fowl. 

 The bird's wings should be firmly 

 grasped just where they join the 

 back. No harm is done to it, and 

 much unnecessary struggling is pre- 

 vented. 



Puppies and kittens are delightful 

 little creatures, and immensely popu- 

 lar as pets, but, as I have already 

 remarked, they are too often dragged 

 about in a manner which must cause 

 the little animals needless pain. It 

 is quite an easy matter to teach 

 children how they should be handled. 

 The popular idea is that very young 

 puppies and kittens should be held 

 by the scruff of 

 the neck, but this 

 is not correct. The 

 shape of a puppy 

 — a most import- 

 ant point in the 

 case of a show 

 animal — is often 

 spoiled by such 

 handling, and in- 

 jury to its internal 

 anatomy may re- 

 sult. The illustra- 

 tion on this page 

 shows exactly how 

 a kitten — or a 

 puppy — should be 



IS 



an 



necessary 

 for any 



bestowed 

 ordinary 



