RABBITS 171 
-law in some States which protect the rabbit. 
Coursing with greyhounds has many advocates 
_ and is popular in the West, where the swifter 
jack-rabbits abound. Smaller rabbits are often 
chased with fox-hounds, but the beagle is rap- 
idly taking precedence as a favorite for rabbit- 
hunting, the gun being depended upon for 
securing the game. All of these are most ex- 
hilarating sports. 
Where the country is sufficiently open for the 
purpose, one of the most successful methods 
of reducing the numbers of rabbits is the or- 
ganized hunt, known as the ‘‘drive.”? This 
method has been tried in many localities in the 
West and in Australia with satisfactory re- 
sults, the number of rabbits killed in a single 
drive reaching as high as 10,000 or even 
20,000. 
Complete extermination of rabbits in any 
part of the United States is not desirable, as 
has been remarked, even if it were possible. 
In most cases where protection seems neces- 
sary a rabbit-proof fence may be cheaply con- 
structed of wire netting, 114 inch mesh, from 
2 to 3 feet high, with the lower edge sunk a 
