GENERAL NOTES 
115 
but was not so active, and did not make the gain in weight and activity which 
was at first noticeable in the others. By March 18, the fifth day, it would no 
longer take food to any extent. The larger ones by this time would drink avidly 
about 15-20 cc. at a feeding. In fact this small individual was so nearly dead 
on the evening of this day as to Justify killing it. 
During the next two or three days, first one and then the other of the remain- 
ing two became ill, and in spite of all attempts to save them with dietary vari- 
ations the second died at the close of the eighth day, and the third on the tenth 
day. A mother cat with a kitten the same age as the young rabbits was located 
at a neighbor’s the seventh day and the two rabbit babies were offered to her 
and at once accepted, but this proved to be too late to save either of them. It 
was felt that had she been discovered early in the week the rabbits might have 
been successfully reared, and it is hoped to secure again at some future date the 
young of this species for observation throughout the growth period, and to secure 
a cat as foster mother. 
On March 18th the remaining two were measured as accurately as possible 
with results as follows : 
Length Tail Foot Ear 
No.l 150 mm. 8.0 mm. 40 mm. 37 mm. 
No. 2 150 mm. 8.5 mm. 45 mm. 40 mm. 
A marked tendency to nocturnal habits was noted on the second day of life, and 
this became more marked in succeeding days. This was evidenced in the fact 
that not one of the three would accept milk at noon, after a morning feeding. 
However, by 4.30 or 5.00 p.m. food was readily accepted, and again at night from 
9.30 to 10.30. Indeed the alertness and activity of all was much more marked 
at this hour than during any of the daylight hours, which latter were spent in 
sleep. Even when effort was made little activity could be aroused, and no inter- 
est in food was ever shown at midday. In the night, however, as soon as cover- 
ings were removed the young rabbits would quickly rouse up, raise heads, erect 
the ears, and crawl or hop about and search for food. On the night of March 
17 when a light was switched on at a few minutes after ten o’clock, I was much 
surprised to see the two larger ones emerge from the coverings with ears erect, 
hop to the side of the box nearest me, and make an effort to climb out. This 
was in fact easily accomplished by the first, which could barely reach the top 
edge of the small box from the blanket on which it stood. 
The incisor teeth of these specimens were so well developed that bits of lettuce, 
apple and other fresh succulent vegetables were offered them, but no interest 
whatever was manifested in such foods. It is a source of regret that the desira- 
bility of saving the skulls was overlooked until too late. The pelage was well 
developed, the young being so fully clothed from the first in short fur as to give 
no impression of the semi-nakedness seen in so many young mammals born with 
partially developed pelage. 
In coloration the young were typical alleni as to the ears, with their posterior 
edges of white, and as to general ground color, except that they were perhaps a 
trifle darker than the average adult. Each had a small but distinct white spot 
in the center of the forehead, which is not present in the adult. The white of 
the side and belly was never drawn up on the back and side during the few days 
