RABBIT. 
This he takes up by little at a time with the | 
point of his probe, and works it about in the 
sinus until the paste appears rising in the orifice 
above. After this is done, he commonly has the 
| horse walked about for an hour or two, or even 
sent to slow work again, which produces a still 
more effectual solution of the caustic, at the same 
time that it tends greatly to its uniform and 
thorough diffusion into every recess and winding 
| of the sinus. The consequence of this sharp 
caustic dressing is a general slough from the 
sinus, Every part of its interior surface is de- 
_ stroyed, and the dead particles become aggluti- 
| nated, and cast off along with the discharges in 
the form of a dark firm curdled mass, which the 
farrier calls the core; and so it commonly proves, 
for granulations follow close behind it, and fill 
up the sinus.” But in the majority of cases 
which are referred to the experienced surgeon, 
|| and certainly in all bad ones, more complex treat- 
|) ment is requisite, and the removal of much of the 
sole and wall is indispensable; and in all such 
cases, the following practice of Mr. Newport may 
be followed :—“ After the shoe has been removed, 
thin the sole until it yield to the pressure of the 
thumb; then cut the under parts of the wall in 
an oblique direction from the heel to the anterior 
part, immediately under the seat of complaint, 
and only as far as it extends ; and rasp the side 
of the wall thin enough to give way to the pres- 
sure of the over-distended parts; and put on a 
bar shoe rather elevated from the frog. Ascer- 
tain with a probe the direction of the sinuses, 
and introduce into them a saturated solution of 
sulphate of zinc, by means of a small syringe. 
Place over this dressing the common cataplasm 
or turpentine ointment; and renew the applica- 
tion every 24 hours. I should recommend that, 
when the probe is introduced, in order to ascer- 
tain the progress of the cure, it be gently and 
carefully used, otherwise it may break down the 
new formed lymph.” See the article Fistuna. 
RADIA DDRODAA DAI AAR DNIINIIIOIOINIIIIOOILIIIIIIOIIIPPPIIIERIRIIRIEREDIREDREERIININI A NI RA AII ALIS I LR I SLR, OL PPI IDNR 
RABBIT. Several species of gnawing quadru- 
peds of the same genus as the hare,—or of the 
genus Lepus, and order Rodentia. See the article 
HARe. 
The American rabbit, Lepus Americanus, L. 
Brasiliensis, or L. nanus, is similar in size and 
| colour to the common or Huropean rabbit. It 
| has reddish feet, and has no black on either ears 
or tail. It nestles in the trunks of trees, and 
often ascends their hollows as far as to their 
| branches. Its flesh is insipid and soft.—The 
Siberian rabbit, Lepus tolai, is intermediate in 
| character between the common rabbit and the 
common hare, and occasionally exceeds the latter 
in size. It makes no burrows, but seeks shelter 
| in the clefts of rocks or other cavities—Some 
other species or permanent varieties, occur in 
other distant countries; but, like the first of 
| the two we have noticed, and like the black- 
| necked rabbit of India, they can be distinguished 
from the common rabbit, only by minute or very 
unimportant characters. 
The common rabbit, or Huropean rabbit, Lepus 
cuniculus, comprises almost all the varieties, both 
wild and tame, which occur in Europe. It is 
smaller than the hare, and has shorter hind legs 
and more thinly covered ears. Its ears also are 
somewhat shorter than its own head; its tail is 
shorter than its thigh; and its fur has predo- 
minantly a yellowish grey colour, with some red 
on the neck and some brown on the tail, but is 
whitish on the throat and belly, and grey with- 
out any black on the ears. But it varies some- 
what in size, considerably in the qualities of its 
flesh, and very greatly in the colours of its fur, ac- 
cording to differences of breed and diversities in 
the mode of living. The wild rabbit is smaller than 
the tame, and is less white and less delicate in flesh, 
but has more of the game flavour, and brings a 
higher price in the market. The tame rabbit is 
widely diversified in both size and colour. The 
largest kinds are generally the best for breeding ; 
the broad-chested and short-legged kinds are the 
hardiest and the most rapid fatteners; a large 
variety of the hare colour has more highly coloured 
and more highly flavoured flesh than any of the 
other tame kinds; large varieties of white or of 
white and yellow colours have comparatively very 
white and delicate flesh, and may be so cooked 
as to rival the turkey; and the varieties called 
French and Turkish rabbits differ little from 
the common kinds, yet are much esteemed. 
The common rabbit, though now dispersed 
through most of Europe, seems to have been a 
native of Spain, and loves a temperate or even 
warm climate, and cannot without difficulty 
endure great cold, It abounds in many dis- 
tricts of Britain; and is specially plentiful in 
the sandy tracts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge- 
shire, and Lincolnshire. It is amazingly pro- 
lific, and but for being kept down by hawks, 
foxes, polecats, weasels, and men, it would soon 
