THE RABBIT. 



3t 



true position. Soon lie will see their nimble 

 figures as they draw closer to his vicinity, then 

 the spring will suddenly be made, and the shrill 

 scream of the victim will tell the story of the 

 Fox's success ; and as the members of the fright- 

 ened colony disappear in their burrows, the 

 shadows too will flee away, and naught will re- 

 main save one dark form rapidly disappearing in 

 the distance, as the Fox bears away his lifeless 

 prey. 



Wlien the little creatures first came into Eng- 

 land is not known. It was probably more than six 

 hundred years ago, for at a feast in the year 1309 

 six hundred of them were bought and cooked for 



the occasion. A few were taken to Australia a 

 few years ago, and let loose, and now they have 

 increased and multiplied to such a degree, that 

 men are actually employed to kill them. 



Tame Rabbits are often kept in cages, called 

 Rabbit-hutches. They are sometimes allowed to 

 roam about the nursery, but children must be 

 very careful how they handle them for they are 

 easily killed. 



They are very pretty as pets, and are orna- 

 mental little creatures upon a lawn ; yet their 

 owners soon tire of them as they are very des- 

 tructive to young and tender plants, and create 

 great havoc in the vegetable garden. 



