Page:Care and Management of Rabbits.djvu/66

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CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF RABBITS

semble that made from ermine. The size of the pelt is very similar to that of ermine, hence the ability of furriers to deceive the public.

The Dutch rabbit comes in three colors, black, tortoise, and blue. It is a small, compact rabbit and has a wide white belt running around the body in stripe fashion. They are very popular for fancy purposes, as well as being good to eat.

The English Spotted Rabbit is very similar to the American Spotted only it is smaller, more compact in shape and has a wider application of black spots than is true in the American or German giant.

Among the distinctive fancy breeds there is none more curious than the Lops. They are rabbits with huge ears, it being deemed the height of perfection to breed them with the largest ears possible. The ears are often so large that the rabbit has to keep its head on the floor of its hutch all the time in order to handle them. Some have been shown with ears 26 inches long and nearly 7 inches wide.