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OUR DOMES 



TIC ANIMALS 



The race exacts but little care, is seldom ill, 

 and its flesh is excellent. These Angora rabbits 

 should be combed weekly; if neglected, their 

 appearance is woeful. There are other species 



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besides the white ; the Russian Angoras, white 

 with black noses, ears, legs, and tails, are 

 comical to behold. 



The silver rabbits are also splendid animals, 

 whose skins are used by furriers and bring 

 great prices. They are small but immensely 

 prolific. At birth the little ones are black, at 

 three months the sih'er hair appears, and at 

 four months they have their true color. The 

 light colored are handsomer than the dark 

 ct)lored, but the two shades 

 must nex'er be mated, or the 

 young rabbits will be either too 

 light or too dark, which lessens 

 considerably the commercial 

 value of their skins. There is 

 also a sih'er-brown and a sih'cr- 

 yellow animal, but these are 

 seldom or nex'er met with in 

 this country. The t«'o first 

 named are the most in \-ogue. 

 The finest specimens ha\'e a 

 imiform color ; e\'en the nose, 

 paws, and tail should not be 

 dai'ker than the body. 



The Dutch rabbit \f, much the 

 smallest of all species. It is not difficult to raise, 

 but in order to have good specimens a large mmi- 

 ber should be raised and the finest chosen ; the 

 others can be sold to the markets. When the 

 markings are very clear these animals arc ex- 

 tremely handsome. The engraving sItows one 



which has attained very high distinction. The 

 cultivation of this species is wholly in the hands 

 of sporting breeders, especially Englishmen. 

 A man must be past master in the art of breed- 

 ing, and must have practiced it for years 

 on this species, to obtain satisfactory re- 

 sults. There are different colors, — black, 

 yellow, steel-blue, etc. The essential thing 

 is to choose precisely the species which 

 will improve their descendants and yet keep 

 as near as possible to the protot3'pe. Even 

 in Holland this indigenous rabbit has many 

 admirers, who are encouraged b)' a club 

 founded for the purpose, and by the prom- 

 ise of ver)' high prizes at the shows. As yet 

 it has been found impossible to raise a breed 

 of which the young shall be uniform in their 

 markings. The Dutch rabbit is not particular 

 about its food and costs ver)' little to raise. 

 Belgium has produced a rabbit that shows some- 

 what the same markings, but is half as heavy 

 again. The Brabant rabbit gives excellent meat 

 and is exported in great numbers to England. 

 The Russian rabbit is most curiously marked. 

 It is all white except at its extremities, the 

 nose, ears, paws, and tail being jet-black. The 



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blacker these extremities the greater the value. 

 The fur is ver)' thick and much in demand by 

 nierchants. It is one of the smaller species 

 and is also called the IIimala)'a rabbit because 

 immense nunibers are found in the mountains 

 of that name. It is everywhere admired and 



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