RABBIT. 289 



and the piles of sorted and unsorted skins are striking 

 in their numbers. Eaw skins have a peculiar, rather 

 nauseous odour. 



Babbit skins are sorted into wholes, halves, quarters, 

 racks, and suckers, or very small skins. The half- 

 seasoned have a small black patch on the pelt. The 

 quarters are three-quarters black, and the racks are 

 quite black. 



The English flayed skins, both wild and tame, are 

 merely cut halfway down the belly, and turned inside 

 out, forming a sort of pocket. The price of Coney wool 

 (Babbit Fur) is 5s. to 7s. per Ib. for best Coney back. 



A curious custom practised in olden times at Bidden- 

 ham, a village in Bedfordshire, was mentioned some 

 time ago in the Standard. It took place on September 

 22nd, which was called Babbit Day, and the last 

 celebration is believed to have been in 1840. 



" A little procession of villagers carry a white Babbit, 

 decorated with scarlet ribbons, through the village, 

 singing a hymn in honour of St. Agatha. All the 

 young unmarried women who chance to meet the pro- 

 cession extend the first two fingers of the left hand 

 pointing towards the Babbit, at the same time repeating 

 the following doggerel : 



' Gastin, Gastin lacks a bier, 

 Maidens, maidens, bury him here.' 



This ceremony is said to date from the year of the 

 first Crusade." 



