COMMON RABBIT. 
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streets of the town of Leicester, and being ultimately caught in Lancaster Street ; 
and the ‘Leicester Daily Post’ of 12th October, 1886, contained the following : — 
“ A Singular Visitor. — About five o’clock on Saturday morning, a Hare was seen 
leisurely trotting along Belvoir Street. At that early hour but few people were 
about, but the few who were in the street were soon in hot pursuit. In the 
uncertain light of early dawn, however. Puss managed to elude her pursuers, 
and made good her escape, much to the chagrin of those who were seeking her 
destruction. How the Hare came into the street seems somewhat a mystery ; but 
it is supposed that it ran into the town with a flock of Sheep that were being 
driven to market, and becoming bewildered, turned into Belvoir Street.” 
COMjMON EABBIT. Lepus cunicidus, Linnaeus. 
Resident and common. — Introduced by some means into the Abbey Park, 
Leicester, these pests became so numerous in 1887, that it was necessary to 
exterminate them, and hence resulted the novel spectacle of small shooting parties 
in the heart of Leicester ; and as, through the existence of brushwood and the 
presence of on-lookers — chiefly street Arabs — the Rabbits were not very easy to 
hit, the unsuccessful shots were considerably cheered and refreshed by the running 
fire of criticisms indulged in by the spectators. 
Malformations and varieties constantly occur, and the IMuseum Donation- 
book records the presentation, on 18th Oct., 1851, by J. Knight, Esq., of 
Aylestone, of the head of a wild Rabbit killed at Blaby, shewing a remarkable 
development of the incisors. Harley mentioned that in Bradgate Park, where it 
abounds, “ black and parti-coloured varieties are met with,” I received a white 
one in the autumn of 1881 from thence, and in the spring of 1884 I saw a black 
one run out from a little spinney at Knighton, on land farmed by Mr. Lander. 
On 17th April, 1885, I was with Mr. John Hunt, at Thurnby, on land in his 
possession, and, amongst a great number of Rabbits which were feeding out, 
we saw several white and parti-coloured ones, no less than five being seen 
at one time. Of course, at our approach they bolted into their burrows 
amongst thick scrub ; but, by keeping perfectly still, we were enabled to get a 
near view of those which, deceived by our quietude, shortly re-emerged. So near 
were they, that we were able to see that two or three had sandy patches on their 
ears and other parts of their bodies, whilst others were pure white. A fact which 
struck us as singular was, that these white Rabbits should retain their snowy 
appearance after scampering through wet grass, muddy places, and up and down 
their burrows. Being in close proximity to dwelling-houses, it is, of course, 
possible, nay probable, that these varieties may have been produced by crossing 
with tame ones. 
