There are about three varieties of these fellows due to the laws of breeding and they are divided entirely according to color.
But the most important development in the history of the domesticated rabbit came with the introduction in 1912 of the New Zealand Red to the fanciers of this country. This rabbit was brought to the Pacific Coast by sailors who had gotten them in New Zealand. They were the natural wild rabbit of that country and had been so desirable from a commercial standpoint that breeders in that country had taken them up for commercial purposes.
Our breeders soon saw the possibilities of the breed and took them up with the idea of increasing the size a trifle and in improving the color. That this has been accomplished is evidenced by the fact that the New Zealand Red is probably the most popular rabbit in existence today.
In size it is about half way between the trim little Belgian hare and the large and imposing Flemish Giant. It has a standard weight of
