THE GAME BREEDER 183 



THE BLACK SIBERIAN HARE. 



By R. H. Cowan, 



The President, Dr. W. G. Thompson, us to-night a Siberian hare, not yet five 



presided at a meeting of the Rabbit and months old, and we have all seen her 



Hare Society of Canada. weighed, tipping the scales at 13^4 



Mr. R. A. Dickson of Grimsby, On- pounds. I can safely venture to say that 



tario, produced a beautiful pelt from his no such specimen has ever been exhibited 



Siberian buck, killed in an accident a in this country, in any society, as this 



few days previous. This was the first one, which has been exhibited here to- 



skin seen in this country, and naturally night. 



caused much interest. It was carefully "Had this been a made-up breed be- 

 examined by the members who much ad- tween the Flemish giant and the angora, 

 mired the thickness and toughness of its the size would be greatly decreased, in- 

 leather, as well as its rich glossy fur. stead of that, I think, all you gentlemen 

 The next specimen brought forward will agree that there is no Flemish giant 

 for exhibition and examination was a in America, or anywhere else for its age, 

 beautiful ' young black Siberian doe, the size of this animal. I heard a gentle- 

 owned by the Siberian Hare Company of man say that the angora would not give 

 this city (Hamilton, Canada), 'Toco- the thickness of the fur, and that gen- 

 hontus," registered number 40. The tleman is correct. If the angora was 

 registrar of the Rabbit and Hare Society used to increase the length of the fur, 

 of Canada certified that "Pocohontus" which it doubtless would, the fur would 

 was born Sept. 10, 1915, leaving her be- still be shaggy, thin and not a rich, glossy 

 tween four and five months old. "Po- fur, which you see in this animal before 

 cohontus" tipped the scales at just 13>4 us. Besides this, I would ask the op- 

 pounds. The president asked the secre- ponents of the black Siberian hare, who 

 tary to read to the society an article pub- declare it to be a made-up breed, which 

 lished in the January number of the Pet no doubt would taken ten or fifteen suc- 

 Stock Fancier, written by its editor, Mr. cessive generations to bring it to the 

 Wm. I. Lyon, in which he infers that perfection, which we find it now in, could 

 the Siberian hare may be a made-up rab- this animal be successively bred for all 

 oit, as is the Belgian hare and New Zea- these years secretly (as it must have 

 land red. In reply to this article, Mr. been) unknown to all the fanciers of this 

 Hager of Grimsby spoke as follows : country? If so, what fancier can we 

 "After reading the report of Mr. credit with all this patience and perse- 

 Lyon, the editor of the National Pet verance in crossing and recrossing be- 

 Stock Fancier, where he intimates that tween the Flemish giant and angora? 

 the Siberian hare is a made-up breed No rabbit or combination of rabbits could 

 by frequent crosses between the black be combined to produce such an animal 

 Flemish (if there Is such a rabbit) an.d as we see before us to-night. I would 

 the Angora rabbit, I would say that I decide that this is a distinct breed that 

 know Mr. Lyon by reputation and have has not been before bred in this country 

 always had great confidence in his judo and all the other utility rabbits will sink 

 ment. I was inclined to think the same into oblivion in a remrakably short time, 

 as he, until I saw this beautiful specimen For size, grace and beauty, where are 

 of Siberian hare, when I must confess I the once famous Belgian hares? Where 

 am forced to change my opinion ; I am are the New Zealand reds, or any othe 

 strongly of the opinion that were Mr. utility rabbit compared with the black 

 Lyon with us to-night to examine the Siberian for beauty, flesh and fur? 

 specimen of both pelt and living animal. There were specimens of other breeds 

 he would be another convert to the Si- of rabbits and hares brought to the meet- 

 berian hare. We have here presented to ing, but the interest in the new breed, the 



