78 



THE GAME BREEDER 



institution in Nebraska raises rabbits in- 

 stead of poultry and reports the meat 

 more satisfactory than chicken, and the 

 experiment profitable. According to a 

 former county commissioner of the State 

 of Washington, rabbits were grown on 

 the county farm to provide for the coun- 

 ty hospitals a substitute for chicken ; the 

 initial stock numbered 119 rabbits, which 

 •increased to 1,200 in 10 months, besides 

 those used in the hospitals. These are 

 not isolated cases, they are simply ex- 

 amples of what is being done in rabbit 

 raising, and are an indication of what 

 this industry is likely to become when 

 its profitableness is more generally rec- 

 ognized. 



UTILITY BREEDS OF RABBITS. 



Of about 20 varieties of rabbits com- 

 peting at American shows under estab- 

 lished standards of size, form and color, 

 there are seven which, because of size, 

 are classed as utility rabbits. These sev- 

 en are comprised in three types, repre- 

 sented by the so-called "Giants," the Bel- 

 gian hares, and the New Zealand red 

 rabbits. 



THE GIANTS. 



One group includes the different va- 

 rieties of giants, which, according to 

 their color, are named gray, steel gray, 

 checkered and solid colored, as black, 

 white or blue. All are long-bodied and 

 massive, weighing when adult from 11 

 to 20 pounds each. Across the throat 

 of the doe is a thick fold of skin called 

 the dewlap, which is conspicuous when 

 the chin is drawn inward. The grays 

 run especially heavy, the standards call- 

 ing for a weight of at least 13 pounds. 

 The standard for checkered giants re- 

 quires a weight of 11 to 13 pounds. Gi- 

 ants are mature when about 15 months 

 old. Those raised for meat purposes are 

 usually sold before attaining full size, 

 as the flesh of young rabbits is preferred 

 to that of old ones. Checkered giams 

 were developed in Germany. The other 

 varieties, ordinarily grouped under the 

 name Flemish giant, originated in that 

 part of Belgium and northern France 

 known as Flanders. Flemish giants are 

 now bred in all parts of the country. 

 They grow rapidly, withstand cold well, 



and where the market demands a he ivy 

 type of rabbit, they are highly recom- 

 mended. 



BELGIAN HARES. 



The Belgian hare, one of the second 

 group, has descended from giant stock 

 brought to England from Belgium, 

 France and Germany. In the hands of 

 British fanciers its size has been re- 

 duced, its limbs lengthened, and its gen- 

 eral ■ appearance changed by selective 

 breeding to such a degree that it now 

 looks and acts like the wild European 

 hare. In recognition of this resemblance 

 it was formerly called the Belgian hare 

 rabbit, a name since contracted to Bel- 

 gian hare.* It is a slender, muscular 

 and graceful animal. According to the 

 present standard, its proper weight is 

 about 8 pounds. Typical does do not 

 have the dewlap. The color of Belgian 

 hares ranges in different specimens from 

 a bright orange-brown or tan to mahog- 

 any, varied by a mingling of black hairs, 

 which gives the effect known as ticking. 

 The Belgian hare was the first utility 

 rabbit to make its appearance in America, 

 and although it was introduced when 

 conditions were unfavorable for its 

 adoption as a meat animal, it has re- 

 mained a favorite with fanciers, and at 

 last seems destined to fulfil the purpose 

 for which it was unsuccessfully advo- 

 cated a score of years ago. The "rufous 

 red" Belgian is one conforming to the 

 American standard as to color, which is 

 a dark cherry-red or mahogany, uniform 

 over head, ears, chest, feet, back and 

 sides, varied by scattered black hairs. ■ 



NEW ZEALAND REDS. 



A third type of utility rabbit is the 

 New Zealand red, an animal intermedi- 

 ate in size and form between the Flem- 

 ish giant and the Belgian hare. It may 

 have been produced by crossing the white 

 Flemish giant with the rufous-red Bel- 

 gian hare. This is suggested by its size 



*One difference between rabbits and hares 

 is the condition of the young at birth. Rabbits, 

 including the cottontails of America and the 

 rabbits of the Old World, are born blind and 

 naked. Hares, on the other hand, including the 

 so-called snowshoe rabbits and jack rabbits of 

 this country and the wild hares of Europe, are 

 covered with fur and have eyes open at birth. 



