114 RABBITS. 



The infirmities to which tame rabbits are subject 

 are twofold : first, the rot, which comes of giving them 

 green meat, or gathering greens for them which have 

 the dew on ; therefore, let them have it but seldom, 

 and then the dryness of the hay will absorb the 

 moisture. 



Secondly, there is a certain madness sometimes among 

 rabbits, caused by the rankness of their keeping, arid 

 which is known by their wallowing and tumbling with 

 their heels upwards, and leaping in their huts ; to cure 

 this, give them tare thistles to eat. 



Wild rabbits do a great deal of damage to trees, and 

 all sorts of corn, their teeth sparing nothing that they 

 come near ; to prevent this, take some very small sticks 

 of willow, well dried, dip one end in some melted brim- 

 stone, and stick the other into the ground ; let them be 

 about six feet distant from each other, and set fire to them. 



Rabbits are taken in various ways. If in cover, they 

 afford excellent sport with the gun. If the covers are 

 large, quarter them with a reel made of long feathers, 

 on a cord ; this, set about six inches high, will keep them 

 up to the guns. If they He in hedgerows, double them, 

 and plant one or two guns at the end where the racks 

 meet, and you will be sure of sport. If they are in the 

 ground, ferret them out, and take shots at them as they 

 run. If you want to extirpate them, use nets and wire 

 with the guns. In warrens, they trap them at the 

 mouths of the eyes (here you will take stoats, &c.), and 

 wire them in the " chops." Pitfalls are made with dou- 



