The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-10-20
VARIETIES or RABBITS.
ORNAMENTAL oUADRUPEDS
ENSEAFED BIZ FASHION.

10 tell the man IN the Street InaI
rabbits are being sold daily at prices
that would buy good horses, and that
these highly valued pets are being bred
by thousands of people in every sta
ton Of life, in all the towns and most
of the villages of England, is to court a
cynical sneer that betokens pity for
one demented. e....
One hopes that perusal of this arti-
Gle, says Meredith Frade in the Eng
lish Illustrated Magazine, will convert
the sceptical on these points, and tend
to refute the old objection urged
against rabbit keeping.
The facts and figures given herein
are perfectly genuine and authentic,
There are eleven different breeds of
fancy rabbits; of these breeds one has
show purposes many of the others are
classified under their several eolors.
During last year there were just three
hundred and thirty rabbit shows held
/ in the United Kingdonl-Inore than one
for each working day: one hundred and
twenty-four different men were en-
gagged to judge, as many as half a doz-
en- being engaged at one show, where
over one thousand rabbits were penned.
As an example of the kind of turn
over" some fanciers do with their rab-
bits, there is the case of a man, known
to the writer, whose carefully kept
books show that he has sold 1,O4O
pounds worth during four years.
Al curious style of marking upon any
animal is always of interest, and so I
will first briefly describe three marked
breeds of rabbits.
The Dutch rabbit, my own particular
study, is one of the smallest breeds,
ldininutive size being a great point for
consideration from the show standard.
nippon the perfect regularity of the line
of demarkation that divides the colored
from the white fur; upon the symmetri-
cal roundings of the cheek markings;
upon the length and evenness of the
white mark that finishes off the hind
feet together with complete absence
Of colored fur behind the ears, and a
pureness and depth Of whatever the
color may be-blue, black, dark or Hight
gray, yellow or tortoise-sheH depends
the value of the rabbit A spot of coll
ored fur amongst the white or vice ver-
sa; an uneven saddle or irregular foot
marks-these are defects which cause
the difference of price from ten shillings
to twenty pounds, the latter price hav-
ing been paid last summer for a tip-top
specimen.
The Himalayan presents another ex-
ltraordinary marked rabbit. This little
fellow is also small in size and pure
white, with the exception of all his ex-
| temities. and these are jet black. A
/ difficulty in getting density Of color and
la suffieiency of it are the details that
max show specimens hard to obtain;
and though not in great favor just now
amongst exhibitors, few pounds have
to be paid for good specimens.
Last, among what may fairly be
called the marked breeds, is the Eng
fish rabbit. The proper location of the
spots of color upon the white bdy, es-
pecially as regards the butterfly shaped
mark upon the nose: the spots near and
lcircles round the eye; the line down the
backbone and the chains down the
animals sides, are points that the de-
ytoees of the breed look for in determine
| ing show value. Being popular vari-
| ETY., their marketable value is anything
between five and ten pounds, while
twenty pounds would not buy one
specimen that often faces our judges.
Possessing but few friends, and con-
Isequently of lesser value, the Polish is
| vet a sprightly little fellow, pure white,
The Angora, with its long, silky fur,
generally of snowy Whiteness Ghough
there are a few colored ones), is always
a great favorite with the lady visitors
| to a show. Certainly the amount Of
care that is required to keep their coats
lin proper trim accounts for the compar-
atively few fanciers found willing to
champion their undoubted claim to
Ishowpen llotoriety; still, five to ten
pounds is the price obtained for show
| specimens.
If my readers like plenty of size for
their money, the Flemish Giant is the
fellow that will meet with their appro-
| val, for his chief value is his weight.
Specimens weighing twenty-five pounds
have been shown; at Tunbridge Wells
show last year one turned the scale at
nineteen and one-half pounds. When
| in showpen, next, it may be, to a
lt'Dutchman,' the rnassiveness Of this
dark gray colored rabbit in opposition
to it's sprightly neighbor, reminds one
of an elephant and an antelope.
The Silver" family, containing three
distinct varieties, silver grays, silver
fawns and silver browns, are bold bid
ders for popular favor. Small and cob
by, this breed, with the gray fur inter
mixed with the body color of blacf..
fawn or brown, is most valuable 1ittl
animal. Twenty pounds has been paid
for an adult; eight to ten pounds is an
ordinary figure for show specimens to
fetch, while north London fancier OBJ
tained five pounds for one thirteen
weeks old quite lately. A popularity Of
| the young silver gray is that until a
month old 1t is jet black; at that age it
begins to "silver off," commencing at
the nose; a four-months-old youngster
still has black patches left in places.
Most people have seen Indifferent
specimens of the Lop rabbit, those long
cared favorites of childhood days. but it
will surprise very many to hear that
these animals are now shown with ears
measuring twenty seven inches from tip
! to tip, and seven inches across; but
1 5o,,I Hxrr0 ,4.Y &C.,