376 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 





THE DOMESTIC RABBIT. 



Is of various colours white, brown, black, and 

 variegated. It is somewhat larger than the wild 

 Rabbit; but its flesh is not so good, being softer 

 and more insipid. Its food is generally cabbage 

 leaves, colewort, blades of corn, sour-dock, and 

 other succulent plants; but sweet short hay, and a 

 little clean oats, make the best diet. 



The RABBIT of ANGORA, like the Goat and Sheep 

 of that country, is covered with long hair, which falls 

 down its side in wavy curls, and is of a silky fineness. 



Air. Pennant describes a remarkable variety un- 

 der the name of the Hooded Rabbit, which has a 

 double skin over its back, into which it can with- 

 draw its head: it likewise conceals its fore legs in 

 a part which falls down under its throat. There 

 are small holes in this loose skin, which admit light 

 to the eyes. The colour of the body is cinereous; 

 that of the head and ears is brown. 



A manuscript account of this animal, with a 

 drawing by Mr. G. Edwards, is preserved in the 

 British Museum. 



The Rabbit is not a native of America. There 

 are great numbers of them in many of the West 

 Indian islands, which have originated from a stock 

 carried thither from Europe. 



