DOMESTIC RABBITS. There are ten well-estab lished varieties of domesticated rabbits, the orig inal stocks of which were derived from almost as many different countries. These are Angora, Belgian, Dutch, Himalayan, Lop, Siberian, Sil ver-tip. Polish, and Flemish. Their characteris tics are as diverse as their origin. They vary in color through every grade, shade, and mixture. from pure white to all black: in coat from the closest fur to long silky hair, capable of being woven; in style of ears from the 'prick ear,' erect, small, and almost as stiff as metal, to the floppy, broad. soft-skinned ear of the lop. which bangs to the ground. The development of particular characteristics and markings, and their mainte nance, are made possible by the animal's remark able fecundity and adaptability. Their food is simple, a meal of whole oats in the early morn ing, a mid-day meal of greens and vegetables, and an evening one of a mixture of cornmeal, bran, and oatmeal, kneaded in warm water, meets nearly all their requirements. They are good mothers, need no attention, and the less tl.ev are then disturbed, the better. The breeding-hutch nec essarily requires an inner room, dark except for such light as goes through the little round door. In that box, or room, she will make her own nest, and when her young have acquired their sight and fur (about the eighteenth day). they will come peeping out of the door. They should be taken away, one or two a day. when two months old. They can then run together until the fourth month, when the sexes must be separated.
The 'lop-ear' is the oldest variety of the fancy rabbit, having been bred from the English wild rabbit and shown in England considerably over a century. Its most marked feature is the abnor mal ears. each 11 to 12 inches in length and 6 in width. The ears fall gracefully from behind the inner corner of the eye, with the convex sur face outward; toward the root the ear is narrow and thick. and becomes abruptly broader and proportionately thinner toward the tip. The body in this breed is rather low at the shoulder, and there is a dewlap. The color varies, but the markings should be uniform. A large lop weighs 11 pounds. This is the only variety which re quires artificial heat for it- full development, and, although the oldest breed, is so entirely arti ficial that it is maintained and perfected only by the utmost care.
The Belgian. although commonly called Bel gian 'hare,' is a true rabbit. It is of large size 10 pounds), and lustrous sandy brown in color. Its body is longer in proportion to its weight than that of any other rabbit, and the hind legs are long, strung, and straight. The head is rather broad, tapering to the nose, the ear about five and a half inches long, thin and transparent, and the eve brown and bright. The flesh is excellent, and between 1895 and 1900 this rabbit was ex tensively introduced into the Western United States.
The Dutch rabbit, derived from Holland, is one of the smallest of the fancy breeds, not aver aging above four pounds. Its hind quarters are solid black, or blue. or lemon, or, rarely, tortoise shell, except the toes of the hind feet, which are white: its forebody and fore legs are white; it has a white nose and white blaze nar rowing to a point on its face between the ears.
Its ears, and the patch all round the eye and its side face, are the color of its hind quarters. The whole-color areas must be absolutely free from black or white hairs, and their borders clear and sharply defined. They are a very hardy race and excellent mothers. The Angora, a curious long bodied rabbit, is a native of Asia Minor. and. like the Angora goat and cat, has a long silky coat, which is so long that it can be combed o• clipped periodically, and the wool woven. Time hair is all white in typical examples. though sometimes- black or fawn, and of two lengths, the first woolly and short, the second long and hang ing in semi-curls all over the body. When the wool is white the eye is pink: in other varieties it shades accordingly. They average about nine pounds in weight, and are hardy. The Siberian rabbit, mainly bred in France, and very prolific, is a cross between the Angora and the Hima layan. having the long. silky hair of the one and the dark paints of the other. The Himalayan's native home is Northern China and Tibet, and he is bred in Europe for the value of his skin. His limbs, nose, ears, and tail are black, and the rest of the body white. This black tipping has caused his skin, the coat of which is short and glossy, to be sometimes called 'mock ermine.' The eye is a singularly rich golden crimson, bright, and fiery. These rabbits breed as a rule very true, are smart, neat, hardy, and docile. They vary in weight from four to six pounds. The Patagonian derives its name from its great size alone, since it is really little else than a wild rabbit, bred up to 12 to 10 pounds in weight. The same may be said of the 'Flemish giants,' some specimens of which weigh 18 pounds. They grow quickly and are profitable for market sale.
The 'silver-tip' is a fancy breed, characterized by upright ears, large prominent eyes, well formed body, and a coat evenly silvered, with about 25 per cent. of light hairs. When first born the silver-grays are a slate-blue, and after about a month they look quite black, but at their first molt this changes to a real silvering or light color, which is perfected by the second molt, when they show the much-desired blue tint. The 'silver-browns' are bred from the sil ver-gray bucks, crossed with deep-colored Bel gian does. The 'cream' or 'fawn' varieties sult from other cross-breedings. They are me dium-sized rabbits, seven pounds being the ap proved weight. The Pole is a delicate little all white rabbit., often weighing only three pounds, which inhabits Poland in its wild state, but is distributed all through Switzerland and France, especially in Provence. The ears are short, up right, and soft, and the eyes are light red. See Plate of HARES AND PIIcA.
Consult: Knight, Book of the Rabbit (London, 2d ed., colored plates, 1889) ; Morant, Rabbit Farming (London, 1890) ; Rayson, Rabbits for Prizes and Profit (London, 1872).