The Scottish Naturalist. 
loi 
furriers of the south began to collect the skins at the farm houses, 
instead of leaving the local pedlars and dealers to do so, and also 
that silk hats shortly after this date began to supersede the older 
fashion. 
Hares. — -It is somewhat saddening from the naturalists' stand- 
point to see in recent years, since the Ground Game Act came 
into operation, how helplessly the poor hares have succumbed. 
The threatened extinction of this valuable animal in the south- 
western counties, which seemed so imminent only a short time 
ago, has apparently been sensibly checked, but there is small hope 
that it will ever again recover its former numbers. 
Rabbits. — On the other hand the rabbits seem to be more than 
holding their own, and in favourable situations are actually more 
numerous than before the passing of the afore-mentioned Act. 
But this is rather a digression from the main subject. At our 
old fur market in Dumfries the skins of Ayrshire rabbits were 
most valued, and always brought the highest prices. " Rabbits 
are divided into four kinds, viz., warreners, parkers, hedgehogs, 
and sweethearts. Burrowing underground is favourable, it appears, 
to the growth of fur, and the ' warrener,' though a member of a 
subterranean city, is less effeminate than his kindred that roam 
more at large. His fur is most esteemed, and after him comes 
the ' parker,' whose favourite haunt is a gentleman's pleasure 
grounds, where he usually breeds in great numbers, and not in- 
frequently drives the hares away. A ' hedgehog ' is a sort of 
vagabond rabbit who travels tinker-like throughout the country, 
and who would be better clad if he remained at home. 'Sweet- 
hearts ' are tame rabbits, and their fur, though sleek, is too silky 
and soft to be of much use in the important business of hat 
making" {^Courier, February 23rd, 1830), In connection with the 
rapidly increasing number of rabbit skins, shown by the tables to 
have been offered at the annual markets, it may be of interest to 
point out that in 18 12, Dr. Singer wrote in the "Agricultural 
Survey of Dumfries-shire " (p. 384) that "a few rabbits are to be 
found, but hardly worth mentioning. There is no regular 
warren." 
Foumarts. — " Fitches " was the name invariably set down in 
the reports for this malodorous quadruped, but this appellation 
has gone sp much out of use that I have preferred the more 
familiar name. Needless to say the beast has practically dis- 
