THE BABBIT. 



elder ones striving for mastery. They will become as tame aa 

 to eat out of the hand, and to flock round their feeder when h^ 

 enters with a bundle of vegetables or straw. The whole stud 

 should be so liberally supplied with provender that those in- 

 tended to be eaten may be able to fatten upon it, and the 

 growing and the breeding rabbits will amply repay the share 

 they consume of this liberal diet by the rapidity with which 

 they come to hand, and the strength and shapeliness of the 

 litters they bring forth. A rabbit-court like this is particularly 

 convenient for consuming the refuse and sweepings of a large 

 kitchen-garden and flower-garden, and even a portion of the 

 Bcourings of the stable. Forkfuls of litter, which a neat groom 

 will cast out of doors, will be nibbled over and relished by his 

 minor charges. In short, we strongly recommend a rabbit- 

 court to those whose premises and situation allow of such a. 

 plan being adopted." 



Another artificial structure, imitating in some degree the 

 natural rabbit-warren, is the " rabbit-pit." Various forms have 

 been suggested for this, but the most practicable is that of a 

 correspondent of the AgriotMwral Gazette : — 



" In the Isle of Thanet, on the east coast of Kent, the writer 

 witnessed and superintended on his own property the method 

 which he now proceeds cursorily to describe, and the annexed 

 diagram will tend to define the limits of the spaces required. 



4n 



TT 



XT 



efi 3 



Jl 



H 



U 



OROUKn PLAN or BABBIT-FIT. 



Xo. 1 represents a pit four feet on each side of the square ; 

 2 is an oblong, four feet long and about two feet broad. Both 

 are dug to the depth of six feel, perfectly level at the bottom 

 and sides, the latter so much wider than the wooden curbs as 

 to admit of a facing of four-inch brickwork in cement, except- 

 ing the spaces to admit of about six arched openings (as 

 marked), of dimensions sufficient for the passage of the largest 



