, 





" The nesting burrow ... is generally made in a field or wood at some distance from the warren." 



THE RABBIT 



T 



HIS exceedingly common 

 animal is at once useful 

 and mischievous. It fur- 

 nishes sport for the 

 humble gunner, food for 

 the million, and warm 

 winter wraps for those 

 who cannot indulge in more 

 expensive furs ; but, alas ! when it 

 Incomes too numerous it is very harm- 

 ful to the farmers' crops. 



It lives in colonies of varying size, 

 according to the food supply at hand, 

 and the measure of protection it receives 

 amongst rocks and in burrows excavated 

 by its own labours. 



Its hind legs are longer and stronger 

 than its fore ones, and in consequence 

 of this it can run with greater ease 

 and expedition up - hill than down. 

 Another curious thing in this connection 



is that recognised tracks lead from all 

 burrows to the feeding ground round 

 about, and a Rabbit can travel faster 

 along one of these tracks than it can 

 over unfamiliar ground. 



Young Rabbits are born blind and 

 without a particle of down upon their 

 dusky little bodies. A separate burrow 

 is made for breeding purposes. As a 

 rule it is about a couple of feet in length, 

 and terminates in a circular chamber, 

 which is plentifully lined with soft 

 dead grass and down plucked from the 

 under-parts of the mother Rabbit's body. 

 This serves a two-fold, useful purpose. 

 It keeps the young Rabbits warm, and 

 enables them to find the maternal foun- 

 tains of sustenance the more easily. 

 The nesting burrow, or " stop," is 

 generally made in a field or wood at 

 some distance from the warren, but 



