166 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
extensively used as food. The half-grown or 
nearly full-grown young of the year are usually 
healthy and very good eating when properly 
cooked. Those not needed for the table may 
be fed to dogs and poultry, but should be 
cooked. The principal natural enemies of 
jack-rabbits are coyotes, foxes, bobcats, hawks, 
owls, and eagles. When rabbits become abun- 
dant these enemies gather to feast on them, and 
then at least should be afforded protection. 
Rabbit fur is not in demand in this country 
except for trimmings, since it is brittle, has no 
underfur, and does not wear well; but from one 
and a half to two million skins are bought an- 
nually to be made into felt for hats and similar 
purposes, and it might be well for farm-boys to 
enquire whether they could not profitably trap 
or shoot in their neighborhood for this and the 
flesh market. 
General breeding-habits. Our American rab- 
bits are not so prolific as the common Euro- 
pean species. Some of them produce three or 
four litters of young in a season, while others 
seem to breed but twice. The period of gesta- 
tion is about thirty days, and the breeding sea- 
