TEnsas- ig 3W0 PER YEAR. 
1 **»"**» ■ i Kindle Ao., Eight U* 
Cents, 
NEW YORK CITY AND ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
OFFICES: 
■11 I’nrlt Row, Now York.J 
SC liuiValo St., Rocliesltr.j 
YOL.'XXIII. NO. W. 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 8,1871, 
WHOLE NO. I10G, 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by D. I). T. Moore, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
LOP-EARED RABBITS. 
I ilwe heard of Lop-eared Rabbits—that 
they are beautiful domesticated animals. I 
should like to know more about them. I 
never saw any of them, nor do I know bow 
they look. Can you give the readers of the 
Rural New-Yorker anything concerning 
their history, habits, and where they can be 
obtained?— A New Subscriber. 
We believe these rabbits were first im¬ 
ported into England from Madagascar. 
The English rabbit fanciers prize them very 
highly, and have improved upon the orig¬ 
inal importation, expending much money 
and skill in breeding them to their present 
perfection. They were first introduced into 
this country by Mr. F. Rotcii of Otsego Co., 
N. Y., fifteen or twenty years ago. Later 
importations of improved animals have been 
made, and they are uow bred here in great 
perfection. 
The esteemed points in a well-bred lop- 
eared rabbit are a small, clean head; wide 
and full shoulders; broad, deep chest; ft 
wide hack; targe loin; full quarters; fine 
hone; full, rouud, clear eye; ear (colored as 
the body) long and broad, of a soft, delicate 
texture, dropping alike and nearly perpen¬ 
dicularly down by the side of the cheek, 
with the convex of the ear turned rather 
out than in; color of the body strong, rich 
in unbroken masses, spreading itself uni¬ 
formly over the back, sides and haunches, 
called the saddles, but breaking into spots 
and patches on the shoulders, known as the 
“chain;” head must be full of color, inter¬ 
spersed with white on the forehead and 
cheeks, while the darker marking on the 
point of the nose and on each lip goes by 
the name of “ butterfly the dew-lup should 
he beautifully white, and spread itself (when 
the animal reposes) over the fore feet, form¬ 
ing a rich cushion for t he head. 
Much consequence is attached to the 
length, quality and carriage of the ear. The 
usual colors of these rabbits are black, blue, 
gray, yellow and tortoise shell on white 
grounds. These are called “b roken colors 
when not mixed with either they are termed 
“ sells.” 
For the benefit of our new subscribers, 
we reproduce an engraving of a pair of pre¬ 
mium Lop-eared Rabbits, drawn from life 
for the Rural New-Yorker. They were 
exhibited at one of the New York State 
Poultry Shows, and attracted much atten¬ 
tion. We wonder that they are not more 
extensively bred for pleasure and profit. 
•- - ♦-»■» ■ 
THE PRAIRIE DOG: 
His Home* Habit;* and Euciulcs. 
We have an inquiry concerning the home 
and habits of the Prairie Dog— Spermojihilus 
Lnikmdanm, It is a rodent and not a dog; 
lml it derives its popular name from the 
short, yelping sound it utters, resembliug the 
hark of a young puppy. It is a pretty and 
rather curious animal, measuring about six¬ 
teen inches in length. It is round and Cat¬ 
tish in shape, the head being peculiarly flat. 
The fur is grayish red, having a grizzled ef¬ 
fect— each hair being alternate gray and 
chestnut. It is a pleasant and sociable 
creature, susceptible of domestication. It is 
exceedingly prolific, multiplies rapidly and 
extends its excavations to vast distances. 
Where they locate, the little heaps of earth, 
which stand near the mouths of their bur¬ 
rows, otten extend as far as the eye can 
reach. 
These “ dog-towns” are most curious, and 
repay the trouble of a visit, which should 
he done in such a way ns not to alarm the 
cautions animal, which is as inquisitive as 
it is wary. Perched on its hillock, it sur¬ 
veys a wide extent of horizon, and as 
soon as it sees an intruder, it gives a sharp 
yelp of alarm, and dives into its burrow, its 
little feet knocking together with a ludicrous 
flourish as it disappears. In every direction 
•a similar scene is enacted. But its curiosity 
is such, that scarcely have its feet vanished 
from sight ere its head appears from its bur¬ 
row, and its inquisitive brown eyes sparkle 
sort of happy family, but the dissectiugscalpel 
of the naturalist has disproved this no¬ 
tion, especially in the case of the snake. 
The reason for the presence of the owls is 
not so well established. Indeed wo are not 
satisfied that, they are enemies, though most 
naturalists think that they are. Let our 
readers send us any facts they may have. 
ffl 
Pt'-V j 1 
THE OTTER-HOUND. 
A Western correspondent of the Rural 
New-Yorker writes :—“ Do you know any 
^ -- - ^ 
THK OTTER - HOUND. 
FERRETS. 
as they examine the cause of alarm. This FERRETS. thing or the Otter-hound V Is there such a 
is the opportunity of the marksman, who, - ’ hound bred in the United States? Where can 
if he knows liow tenacious of life this prai- A correspondent of the Rural New- one be obtained ? I should like to see a dea¬ 
rie dog is, will aim at the eye with the ccr- Yorker asks some one who has ferrets to criptlon of one if convenient.” In response 
tainty of killing if he hits there. A poor give their habits, the kind of food they re- we say that we do riot remember to have 
rifle is almost useless iu shooting prairie quire, and how they operate about farm seen one and do not know whether they are 
dogs; a large bullet is needed to produce buildings to exterminate rats. Also, if there bred here or not. We give an illustration of 
instantaneous death. are any objections whatever to them on a au Otter-hound, and copy the following from 
Thh little animal has its enemies, which farm. They arc very useful. They are Richardson’s Natural History of the Dog; 
km 
Wm 
-A PAIR OF LOP-EARED RABBITS. 
force themselves into its home. These are 
the burrowing or Coquimbo owl (A/cene 
cumcularia) and the rattle snake, which take 
forcible possession of its burrows and de¬ 
vour the inmates. Bodies of young prairie 
dogs have been found in the stomachs of 
rattle snakes. Some have supposed that the 
owls, snakes, aud prairie dogs affiliated werea 
easily reared, aud must be kept clan and 
warm. Mice, fowl or fresh meat is their 
food. Salt is fatal to them. It is well to 
rear a Scotch terrier with the ferrets, and 
train him to eo-operatc with them. They 
ought not to he allowed to breed but once a 
year; they often breed twice if allowed to 
do so. 
The Otter-hound appears to have sprung 
from a cross between the Southern hound 
and a rough terrier; at least, so his appear¬ 
ance indicates, ills head and ears arc 
smooth, and the latter are very pendulous; 
while the neck, and the remainder of the 
body, are covered with coarse and wiry hair. 
The color of the Otter-hound is usually san¬ 
dy red. As the otter is not hunted with such 
form and ceremony ns of old, the genuine 
Otter-hounds arc fust becoming lost, and 
their place is supplied by the rough, wire- 
haired Scotch terrier, especially that breed 
called Skye terrier. A cross of the bull-dog 
is an improvement; and even ordinary bull- 
terriers are not to be despised, for when it 
comes to the death tussel, the otter requires 
a game antagonist.* 
Attempts have frequently been mnde to 
breed or make otter-hounds, resembling the 
ancient smooth headed, rough-boclied sort, 
but without success; it having been found 
impossible to produce any hut such as were 
cither all rough, or allsmooth. Otter-hunting 
certainly requires resolute dogs; hut as the 
pursuit is now only followed to destroy this 
piscatory marauder, wo need not he so very 
particular as to the modus operandi.. The 
otter is no longer regarded as game, but 
branded as a felon, and his destruction 
hailed with delight. 
SPORTSMAN’S NOTES. 
A Sportsman’* Curiosity Expressed. 
While fishing on a lake, I caught a perch 
and immediately eviscerated it, placing the 
heart in a pool of water on the ice, where it 
lived or heal distinctly for at least two hours. 
I did this merely for the sake of experiment. 
I was surprised that it should beat, so long. 
Was this heart dead? If it was dead, why 
did it beat? liow could it beat, without the 
life-giving action or motion of the blood ? * 
Having caught a tortoise—here commonly 
called turtle—one of the eatable kind, I de¬ 
capitated it early in the morning, hung by 
the tail until the middle of the afternoon, 
some seven hours, when I proceeded to dress 
it; but the thing evinced so much life that I 
was obliged to secure its flippers or paddles, 
before I could finish. L placed the heart in 
a saucer of water, where it distinctly pulsat¬ 
ed for eight lung hours. It is said that, the 
action of the heart is caused by the blood 
coursing or being pumped through the veins. 
Now if this be the case, what occasioned the 
pulsation of these hearts, and why did they 
beat so long? I should like very much to 
have these questions plainly and satisfactori¬ 
ly answered.—J., Marbtcheml, Ct . 
Remedy for Doit Distemper, Arc. 
Please say to .J. W. W. of Concord, 
Tenn., that a handful of common fine salt, 
thrown down the throat of a dog which has 
the distemper, and the mouth kept closed 
until it goes down, is an infallible remedy. 
One dose is enough in the early stage of the 
disease; if given later, it may have to be re¬ 
peated. 
Say to him, fdso, that the best dog for the 
purpose he desires is a. very small German 
fox hound, with large cars, which is untiring 
in the chase, and when I lie fox is holed he 
boldly follows and brings him out. I 
understand they have been imported and are 
to be found in New York city.—11. L. D., 
DansviUe, Lie. (Jo., N. Y. 
To Trap Foxes. 
Leon M. White writes:—The trap should 
be well smeared with blood, or beeswax, to 
destroy the odor of the iron. Bet it in soft 
earth, packing moss or leaves lightly around 
the pan and. jaws. Bait with fried meat. 
An old trapper says, “ to make the allure¬ 
ment doubly sure, obtain from the female of 
the dog, fox or wolf, the matrix, in the sea¬ 
son of coition, and preserve it in alcohol, 
tightly corked. Leave a small portion of it 
on something near the trap ; also, when vis¬ 
iting the traps, put some on your hoots.” 
You will find this one of the “ all-sufficient” 
tricks out. 
ISaHG Bull Inquiry* 
Will any Rural New-YAiiker boy do 
me a favor by telling how to make a good 
base ball ?—Peleg Howland. 
