246 THE RABBIT. 



rent of their rabbit-shooting ; on the contrary, 

 from the tenant's point of view, it is seldom worth 

 what is paid for it, and the best arrangement is 

 for the farmer to come to an agreement with 

 the tenant that, after a certain date, measures will 

 be taken systematically to reduce the rabbit popu- 

 lation preferably by the employment of a pro- 

 fessional rabbit-catcher. The man who is simply 

 out for sport does not kill down the rabbits as 

 they should be killed, and by February at the 

 latest traps and snares should have been brought 

 to bear, and should be kept in operation till 

 they no longer yield results. The doe -rabbit 

 killed in February could profitably be bought at 

 ten times her market-price by the farmer on 

 whose land she was killed, and this is a point he 

 should bear in mind ere he decides to dispense 

 with the rabbit-catcher's services. 



LENGTH OF LIFE. 



So few wild rabbits die by the kindly hand of 

 Time that it is difficult to arrive at their natural 

 length of life. In an enclosed park in the West 

 Riding a rabbit, distinguishable from his fellows 

 by a white ruff about his neck, was seen by the 

 family at breakfast almost every morning for nine 

 consecutive years. He was born about the same 

 time as the eldest son of the house, and, curiously 

 enough, he died, judging from his disappearance, 

 on the same night as the child's grandpa died ! 

 His name went down with the family traditions. 



This rabbit lived a hedged-in and protected 

 life in the precincts of a city, and under such 

 conditions he might, indeed, have lived to see 

 his fifteenth year. How long a wild rabbit lives 

 depends upon the speed at which it lives. Safe 



