THE RABBIT 261 



four hours. All discharges should be carefully washed 

 from eyes and nose, and the latter anointed with 

 vaseline. 



Foot-rot Therapeutics. Creosote or nitrate of 

 mercury ointment applied once a day. 



Worms. Areca-nut or Filix-mas, followed by 

 castor-oil. 



Eczema. Cleanliness and change of hutch, washing 

 with antiseptic fluid, careful drying, and the use of 

 nitrate of zinc lotion. 



Itch. Some form of mild sulphur ointment. 



Keeping down the Rabbit 



The rabbit may be kept down by ( i ) Shooting, 

 (2) ferreting and shooting, (3) catching by a pitfall, 

 (4) trapping, (5) snaring, and (6) netting. Of the last 

 four methods there are endless modifications, and it will 

 be found that most keepers have their own pet method, 

 from which they are very loath to depart. As long as 

 the method is legal, effective, comparatively painless, 

 and economic, nothing can be said in its disparagement. 

 The legality is of importance, for no one can use a 

 spring trap to catch rabbits except (a) in the mouth 

 of a burrow, and (b) unless the rabbits are taken by 

 an owner occupying his own land. Many methods 

 employed to take rabbits are completely ineffective, and 

 should be immediately disregarded. Failure often re- 

 sults from the keeper leaving the traps exposed to view. 

 Unless soil is sprinkled over them to hide them from 



