12 



THE GAME BREEDER 



imitation of arctic fox, or, sheared, in 

 imitation of ermine. Gray rabbits are 

 dyed brown or black and become "Baltic 

 black fox" or "Baltic brown fox" ; seal- 

 dyed, they become "inland seal," "elec- 

 tric seal," "coast seal" or "near-seal." 

 Reputable furriers avoid such names, or, 

 if they use them, frankly explain that 

 the goods are coney or rabbit. These 

 garments, while handsome and comfort- 

 " able, have little durability and are there- 

 fore cheap. 



Statements to the effect that certain 

 breeds of rabbits produce pelts of high 

 market value are unwarranted. The 

 long-haired breeds, such as the Angora 

 and the Siberian (both white animals) 

 have poor pelts and the hairs are not 

 well set in the skins. The short-haired 

 varieties are much alike as to strength 

 of pelts, but vary considerably in color. 

 The English black-and-white has strik- 

 ing colors that might appeal to the fancy 

 of individual wearers of fur garments, 

 but they are not popular in the fur 

 trade. Skins of piebald rabbits of any 

 shade sell for less than those of solid 

 colors. There is also a difference in qual- 

 ity of fur between hutch rabbits and 

 those kept in the open, the latter having 

 the better pelts. 



Besides exaggerated statements as to 

 value of fur, advertisements of fur rab- 

 bits contain totally false claims as to the 

 origin of animals offered for sale. This 

 practice is not a new one, for about 60 

 years ago, when the now well-known 

 Himalayan rabbit was. first bred iff Eng- 

 land, the statement that it originated in 

 the Himalayan Mountains was believed 

 by a fellow of the Zoological Society of 

 London, who described and figured the 

 animal in the society's journal as a new 

 species. Rabbits recently advertised as 

 fur animals are said to have been im- 

 ported directly from Siberia in one in- 

 stance, and from Mongolia in another. 

 The further statement that the animals 

 exist in these countries in a wild state 

 is advanced. As a matter of fact well 

 known to naturalists no wild rabbits oc- 

 cur in either country and the few species 

 of hares found there are small gray ani- 



mals that turn white in winter. The 

 support of the fanciful testimony of an 

 unknown naturalist who claims to have 

 resided in Siberia and to have observed 

 the animals in the wild state does not 

 help the case. 



So far as the "black Siberian hare" is 

 concerned, any experienced breeder of 

 rabbits can readily identify the animals 

 at first sight. They are undoubtedly 

 the common European rabbit of the 

 Flemish giant breed. In this variety 

 black is a constantly recurring color and 

 sometimes appears among litters of the 

 purest-bred strain. These black indi-- 

 viduals are usually regarded by fanciers 

 as undesirable and are discarded. How- 

 ever, if the black stock be chosen for 

 reproduction, a black strain of Flemish 

 giants is obtained in which bluish gray 

 individuals recur from time to time, as 

 several breeders in the United States 

 have proved. Such a strain of Flemish 

 giants is now offered as a new species 

 imported directly from Siberia, a coun- 

 try without rabbits unless carried there 

 as domestic animals. 



It is not to be inferred, however, that 

 black Flemish giant rabbits have no fur 

 value. On the contrary, owing to their 

 great size and solid color, the skins will 

 probably sell for more than those of 

 most other breeds. All known breeds 

 of domestic rabbits belong to a single 

 species, the European rabbit, whether 

 they are known as Belgian hare, Flem- 

 ish giant, Siberian, Himalayan, Dutch, 

 Japanese, Kai-Gai, or any other name, 

 and the attempt to palm any of them 

 upon the public as a new species im- 

 ported from a portion of the world not 

 inhabited by rabbits is wholly unwar- 

 ranted and to be severely condemned. 



Anti-Cat. 



There seems to have been an epidemic 

 of anti-cat legislation this season. The 

 Oneida Community, Ltd., Oneida, N. Y., 

 offers a better remedy for cats than leg- 

 islation.. See advertisement in this issue. 



Subscribe to The Game Breeder, $1.00 

 a year. 



