THE COMMERCIAL BREEDS 
Waite there are many breeds of the domes- 
ticated rabbit there are only three which have 
a distinct commercial appeal. These are the 
Flemish Giant, the New Zealand Red and the 
Belgian hare. They are named in the order of 
their size, the Flemish Giant being the largest 
at maturity. 
The Flemish Giant originally came from a 
large rabbit known as the Patagonian giant. 
This rabbit was a giant in every sense of the 
word in his native state, but being bred down 
for various purposes, the Flemish has sacrificed 
something in size and weight. The natural 
Flemish is a sandy gray color, while the fancy 
breeds which have sprung up from it are known 
as Steel Gray, Dark Steel Gray and Black. 
There are many shades and colors in one litter. 
Oftentimes they come pure white. This fail- 
ure to breed true to color is due to the fact that 
45 
