RABBIT. 287 



of tame Babbits. The buck is a strong animal. He 

 fights with courage, and deals severe blows to his adver- 

 sary ; when jumping over his back, pieces of fur often 

 being knocked out. We have witnessed a very curious 

 fight between a Cock and a tame silver-grey buck 

 Babbit, the latter invariably getting the best of the 

 encounter. 



Babbits are subject to several diseases in captivity, 

 amongst which snuffles is one of the commonest. This 

 is caused by wet and damp, and dry food and warmth 

 are the best remedies. They are sometimes made ill 

 by over-feeding, and diarrhoea is also prevalent in damp 

 locahties. The price of a tame Babbit varies from Is. 

 to 6s., but good lops and superior sorts fetch 5 to 20 

 guineas each. 



The old-fashioned Babbit-man, with dead Babbits 

 slung on a stick across his shoulder, is now rarely seen. 



The quantity of tame Babbit skins imported into this 

 country is very great. From 50,000 to 80,000 dozen 

 dyed skins are imported into London from France and 

 Belgium, and, besides this, many are sent direct from 

 these countries to the United States, Germany, etc. 

 The total annual collection of French and Belgian skins 

 is about 2,000,000 ; but these are not all of Flemish 

 origin, as many skins are exported in the raw state 

 from England and Scotland, the cost of dressing and 

 dyeing being so much less abroad. The annual 

 collection of English skins is about 30,000,000. About 

 110,000 cwt. of Babbit carcases are imported annually, 

 the value of which is about £30,000. 



The Belgian skins are taken off the bodies of the Ostend 

 Babbits, so familiar to the Londoner as an article of food. 

 Many thousands of these tame Babbits are imported 

 annually, but, although large, the flavour is insipid. 



