256 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



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A Leporide Hare-Colored Rabbit 



that are strong and handsome. At Ghent the 

 business is chiefly in the hands of the working- 

 classes, and they are very skillful at it, which 

 indeed is natural, as their ancestors did it be- 

 fore them and transmitted the experience from 

 father to son. We sometimes hear it said that 

 the breeding of these robust and handsome 

 animals is a secret with the Ghent producers, 

 but this is not so. There is no secret, but 

 only a good reason, which is that no males are 

 ever imported from foreign parts. The Flemish 

 giants are not good eating. The males are excel- 

 lent for improving the breed of common rabbits. 



The d/i/e giant of Vienna is one of the latest 

 novelties. It is a superb crea- 

 ture whose dark blue fur brings 

 a good price from furriers. It 

 is produced by crossing the 

 silver rabbit* with the Flan- 

 ders blue giant. Its bones are 

 small and its flesh abundant 

 and excellent. The female is 

 very prolific and at the same 

 time hardy. 



The double of the Vienna 

 giant is the blue giant of 

 Bcvcren (Flanders), found in 

 great numbers in the region 

 from which it takes its name. 

 It is not the product of any 

 crossing and forms a species 

 by itself. Its fur is of great 



value and is thicker and closer than 

 that of the Vienna giant. It attains 

 a weight of from seven to ten pounds, 

 which it cannot exceed without les- 

 sening the value of the fur. Though 

 this breed had formerly only a local 

 reputation, it is now much talked of, 

 and is seen at all Belgian exhibitions. 

 The Belgian hare, called also the 

 leporide, is a rabbit of Belgian origin, 

 though it is not raised in that king- 

 dom. It descends from the Flemish 

 giant, and every effort has been 

 made to make it look like a hare. 

 Those we see to-day at shows in 

 America bear a striking resemblance 

 to hares. It is sometimes stated that this rab- 

 bit is the product of crossings with the wild 

 field hare, but that is a legend ; the male 

 rabbit cannot be mated with the doe hare. If 

 the Belgian hare resembles the true hare, it is 

 due to the pains taken in breeding it across the' 

 Channel. It is really in itself a fine, strong 

 race, interesting and prolific. It is a little wild, 

 to be sure, but gets over its timidity when 

 accustomed to those who care for it. Though it 

 never attains great weight (six or seven pounds 

 at the most), its flesh is very savory. This breed 

 was imported to America in vast numbers a 

 few years ago. 



A French Loi'-Eared Rabbit 



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