Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-13
This and That
By Charles z. TraceUeU.
BETHESDA, Md.

BETHESDA, Md.
Dear Sir:
Il found rabbit den or whatever you
call it at the base of big oak tree
II stumbled over the find, for at first
| thought the gray material at the base
was just something that had blown in
and been caught, but on lifting it up
was amazed to see five baby rabbits
The mother was not around at the
time, but have seen her, and know she
is on the job. I put the covering back
and little distance 1t looked a part
of the old.tre
What Is worrying me is whether I
ought to adopt those babies Surely some
dog or something will catch them What
do you think? Sincerely, H. G. s."
We think mother nature knows best
Rabbits have been bringing I'D their
young for centuries in Just such situa-
tons, and look at the rabbit statistics
shows that they are doing all right
thank you.
This arrangement at tree base
among the big roots, is one of the very
best.
We have seen dogs paw around, but
Evidently the dog, in some ways, is not
as intelligent as its friends would have
us believe.
Or is the dog better hearted than
some others think?
You never can tell about dog. Those
fellows have minds of their own.
We once saw a wire-haired terrier
stand over a fallen baby squirrel for
oy-11 ,z11, 49, I-...
move to injure it.
Other watchers thought the dog was
afraid of the young squirrel, but really
there was nothing there for it to be
fearful of: it rather appeared to be
considering the fallen creature. and
wondering what was to be done about It,
At no time-thiS was directly after
a heavy afternoon thunderstorm-did
the terrier bark or show the usual
nervous movements of the breed.
x Il X X
Young rabbits are difficult to bring
up by hand. They are best left to the
mother.
If necessity calls for hand feeding,
it may be done every two hours with
medicine dropper. A formula is made
of two parts of pasteurized milk and
one part water, slightly sweetened If hot
water is used. it will modify the tenn
perature Of. the cold milk and make it
about right for the baby rabbit.
Water also should be given in a
medicine dropper
Wild rabbits. however, do much bet
ter in the wild. 1t will not be long
before they are chasing each other in
that greatest of natural games. tag
All young things love this game.
Rabbits like it best around wood
pile, just as the song about Texas said.
THE rabbits rush around the BRUSH"
went the song, and it was true to the
real thing. There is nothing a gang
of small rabbits like better than a pile
of wood or brush
They will spend many minutes a day
solemnly following one another around
and around. Occasionally they will
really tag" another, but this is not
the essential part of the game for them
1t seems to be the following that
counts
Kittens at play, on the other hand,
cannot follow very long without end
ing in head-long tussle.
1t is amazing, the number of wild
rabbits in the suburban sections of
Washington.
Usually they are among the first crea-
lures to attract the city jewellers when
first he moves to the country, as he is
likely to call it.
Dogs often chase them, sometimes
baying as they go, in traditional style,
but mostly the rabbits get away, to be
seen another day, motionless over a
leaf of lettuce in the owners garden
In hungry world, no one should be-
grudge the rabbits their daily food.