PICAS AND HARES. 201 
colour are the so-called silver-greys and chinchillas, which are born black, and 
assume their characteristic colours later on. Silver-greys generally have black 
heads and legs, and the fine grey fur of the body is intermingled with a number of 
long black and white hairs. These rabbits have long been kept in warrens; and 
when crossed with the wild breed, one- 
half of the progeny, or thereabouts, takes 
after the one parent, and the second half 
after the other. On the other hand, 
chinchillas, or tame silver-greys, have 
short, paler, mouse-coloured, or slaty fur, 
among which are long, black, slate- 
eoloured, and white hairs. Darwin 
remarks that silver-greys may be re- 
garded as black rabbits, which become 
grey at an early period of life. By 
crossing silver-greys with chinchillas a 
certain number of the resulting offspring 
belong to what is known as the Hima- 
layan breed. When first born these rabbits are generally true albinos, having pure 
white fur and pink eyes; but in the course of a few months they gradually become 
blackish brown on the ears, nose, feet, and the upper surface of the tail. In spite 
of their sudden production, Himalayan rabbits generally breed true; and Darwin 
suggests that their remarkable change in coloration may be due to both chinchillas 
and silver-greys having descended from a cross between black and albino parents. 
Lastly, we have the Nicard or Dutch rabbit, distinguished by its very small size ; 
some examples not weighing more than a pound and a quarter. 


