^^*«^/- SE... .4.51. Title Imprint. The Americsui Pet Stock Standard of Perfection AND Official Guide OF THE American Fur Fanciers' Association Covering all Varieties of Rabbits, Cavies (guinea pigs) and Mice The American Pet Stock Standard of Perfection AND Official Guide OF THE American Fur Fanciers' Association Compiled by J. HENRI WAGNER, President American Fur Fanciers' Association 1915 Copyright 1915 By the American Fur Fanciers' Association OCT 14 1915 ©CI,A414013 t\ 6 ,^1. FOREWORD The imperative need by everyone who may be interested in fancy pets for an authoritative publication presentins^ a definite standard of perfection for their guidance in intelli- gently striving- for the "ideal" animal, has promj^ted The American Fur Fanciers' Association to offer to pet stock- fanciers this Guide. The information contained herein has been compiled from noted works on pet stock, specialty clubs, and other asso- ciations of prominent men and women who have devoted a goodly portion of their life work to perfecting animals up to that standard which man believes Nature should have adopted in its natural law of selection. Without some description, the novice would have diffi- culty in comprehending the relative points designated for the several component parts which go to make up the IDEAL of each variety. Under each variety, therefore. may be found such information as should tend to give the novice a clearer conception of those points which need care- ful observance in the breeding of fancv pets for exhibition purposes. The collection of ph(^tographs from which the illustra- tions were reproduced are believed to be some of the finest obtainable, and while many of them appear to be nearly perfect, as to markings, etc., it should be understood that they are offered, not as the IDEAL, but as a guide to the novice, so that he may the better picture in his mind the standard of points provided for each variety. It is to be regretted that in former years fanciers did not maintain more perfect records of their experiments that the fancy might know just how and by what crosses the various l)reeds have been evolved. It is therefore neces- sary for the novice to associate himself with the more learned fanciers l)y joining the Pet Stock Association, which furnishes gratis a subscription to its offfcial magazine, so that he may be saved the years of time alreadv spent in perfecting our fancy pets. The Association expresses its appreciation to all who have so generously rendered assistance in this work, es])e- I cially to those who, by their perseverance, have assisted in evolving the many new varieties of pet stock which grace our show benches. It is to these FANCIERS that THE AMERICAN FUR FANCIERS' ASSOCIATION dedicates THE AMERICAN PET STOCK STANDARD OF PERFECTION AND OFFICIAL GUIDE. OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF GOVERNING BOARD FOR 1915 President — J. Henri Wagner, 1909 North Capitol Street, Washington, D. C. First Vice-President — Albert G. Sherwood, 59 Main Street, Nyack, New York. Second Vice-President — T. A. Martin, Jr., Freeport, Long Island, New York. Secretary-Treasurer — John Ruckstuhl, Jr., 115 Hague Street, Jersey City Heights, New Jersey. Specialty Representatives Fancy Rabbits — F. V. Kellogg, Closter, New Jersey. Belgian Hares — H. K. Filor, West Haverstraw, New York. Fancy Mice — S. Chichester Lloyd, 51^ Sumpter Street, Brooklyn, New York. Smooth Cavies — Henry A. Regel, 311 North Forty-second Street, Camden, New Jersey. Peruvian Cavies — Miss B. Hendrickson, Rockville Cen- ter, Long Island. Abyssinian Cavies— Dudley Coakley, 369 Main Street, Waltham, Massachusetts. THE FANCY RABBIT We learn from Mr. Georg-e A. Townsend, the English Judge and Author, that the first exhibition of fancy rabbits on record was held at Gravesend, in 1859, when classes were provided for Lops only. Slowly, but steadily, the fancy rabbit grew in popularity among the sportsmen until 1888, when the United Kingdom Rabbit Club was formed. From this time the fancy grew by leaps and bounds, many spe- cialty clubs springing up all over the world to foster the several \arieties. These clubs were organized principally ENGLISH LOP RABBIT (Baker Brothers) to ])r<)m()te the fancy, provide exhi])itions in various sec- tions of tlie country, and draw u]) standards for the guid- ance of the fancier. Crude as were the several breeds when first appearing on the show l)ench, they have been developed through the medium of patient and persevering efifort until ni)w we have a collection of the rarest specimens of animal of life which imagination can de])ict. 3 ENGLISH LOP The origin of the Lop Rabbit (commonly known as the "Lop Ear Rabbit") is not known, although it can be traced back a hundred years. In 1859 fancy rabbit societies existed throughout England, the only breed at that time appearing on the show bench being the Lop. Twenty inches was con- sidered extremely long for the ears of the Lop of the seventies ; while to this day twenty-eight inch ears are not uncommon. Width of ear has also been one of great ad- vancement, the best of today measuring seven and one-half inches. In the early age of the Lop fancy much attention was paid to the color of the rabbit, but during recent years so much stress has been laid to the length and width of ear that the matter of color development has been sadly neg- lected. There are the "Selfs," comprising Black, Blue Grey, Sooty, Sooty Fawn, and Golden Fawn ; and the "Broken" colors, which consist of Black and White, Blue and White, Grey and White, Fawn and White, and Tortoise and White. The "Self" colors should be absolutely free from white or any other than the "self color" hairs which make up the color. White toes, white star on forehead, or white (putty) nose are defects which warrant severe cuts as demerits in competition. In the "Broken" colors the head should be self-colored, with the exception of a white star on the forehead. The saddle covers practically the whole of the body except the shoulders, which should have two or three patches or spots of white. The underneath parts of the Lop, from jaws to thighs, should be white, as well as all four feet, but the white visible on the top portion of the Lop should not be too prominent. The study of color breeding in the Lop is one of the deep- est interest and much discretion is necessary to produce correct color coincident with ear measurement and size of dew-lap, which latter characteristic is also a very important feature of the Lop. STANDARD OF POINTS * S . L . C . EAR Length 15 EAR Width 15 SUBSTANCE AND SHAPE, i.e.. strong, stout and clear of blemishes, the tip wide and round, not pointed 5 SHAPE AND CARRIAGE of rabbit 10 COLOR AND MARKINGS of rabbit 15 CONDITION 10 STRAIGHT FEET AND TAIL 10 EYE, CLEAR AND BOLD 10 SIZE AND WEIGHT, large as possible 10 * S. L. C.^Specific Length Classes. * A. L. C.=Any Length Classes. A.L.C. 5 5 10 ID 10 10 FRENCH LOP RAB T (Henry A. Regel) FRENCH LOP STANDARD OF POINTS EARvS — Length 16 to 18 inches 20 HEAD — Short and thick 10 EYES — Large and bold 5 BODY — Large and slightly arched, does to have dewlap.. .. 15 5 LEGS AND FEET— Straight and heavy-boned lo SIZE AND WEIGHT— To be as great as possible; does 13 pounds; bucks 12 pounds 30 CONDITION— Flesh firm, coat smooth 10 DISQUALIFICATION: Permanent wry tail or feet. BELGIAN HARE RABBIT (Geo. A. Townsend Practical Rabbit Keeping) BELGIAN HARE This variety is referred to as the "Beltiian Hare." Intt. except as regards similarity of tvpe, it has no pretensions to be a hare. The Belgian in the early years of the fancy was a very large rabbit, in color resembling the wild English Hare, having black hairs to produce a "ticked" effect and ear lacing. The Belg'ian of today resembles the wild hare in body, limbs, head and ears ; bold, clear, eye ; but a color of rich golden tan, broken only by wavy ticking peculiar to no other variety. It has been asserted that the variety originated in Bel- gium or in Germany, and that in the early stages of develop- 6 ment it was crossed with other giant varieties to produce size and weight. Forty years ago the "dew-lap" was required in the Belgian, but as type progressed the dew-lap was discarded as faulty and is now prohibited. The de- mand today is for golden tan color all over the rabbit's body, belly, head, ears, flanks and feet. The head should be long and narrow, legs straight and fine in bone. Length of body is desirable, as it shows up beautifully on a well- matured Belgian of the standard weight, eight pounds. The "ticking" or black-tipped hairs scattered profusely over the rabbit, presenting a wavy appearance, is a strict require- 4— LACING HAUNCHES IDEAL BELGIAN HARE TYPE. SHOWING THE REQUIRED SHAPE AND STYLE. (Fur und Feather) ment. Other than this there are no markings to breed for, practically everything depending on shape and color for the making of the true type of a winning Belgian. Its con- dition, as the standard prescribes, should manifest plenty of flesh and muscle, healthy skin, and the coat lying close to the body, of silky texture and shining bright as a mirror. The abdomen should hang very little lower than the chest, and when the rab1)it is at "attention" plenty of space should 7 be seen between the fore and hind legs. This "style" can be produced principally by handling, grooming, the use of hurdles in hutches or runs, to prevent the rabbit from be- coming "baggy" or "squatty" in shape. It likewise hardens the muscle and increases the length of limb and body. "Flakey" feet or white hairs in the coat of the Belgian constitute imperfections that should be strongly cut in judg- ing. STANDARD OF POINTS COLOR — Rich Rufus Red (not dark smudgy color), carried well down sides and hindquarters, and as little white un- der jaws as possible 20 SHAPE — Body long, thin, well-tucked-up flank, and well- ribbed up. back slightly arched, loins well rounded, not choppy, head rather lengthy, muscular chest, tail straight, not screwed (either temporarily or permanently), and altogether a racy appearance 20 TICKING — Wavy in appearance and plentiful 10 EARS — About five inches long, thin, well laced on tips, and as far down outside edges as possible, good color inside and outside and well set on 10 EYES — Hazel color, large, round, bright and bold ID LEGS AND FEET — Fore feet and legs long, straight, slen- der, well-colored and free from white bars; hind feet well colored 10 WITHOUT DEWLAP 10 SIZE AND WEIGHT— About eight pounds 5 CONDITION— Healthy, not fat. but flesh firm like a race- horse, and a good quality of fur 5 SILVER Silver Grey, Silver Fawn, Silver Brown There are three classes of vSilver Rab])its, as above indi- cated. Divers theories have been advanced regarding the origin of the Silver Grey. One is that it was developed from the English wild grey rabbit, known as the "Silver Sprig," another that it was imported from Siam because of its fur- bearing quality. It was first placed on exhibition about i860, but it was not until 1899 that the Silver Club of England was fc^rmed for the purpose of pushing the Silver Fancy. The Silver Grey, like the other Silvers, should be lively and bright in disposition ; the silvering should be neither 8 lii^ht. nt)r dark, l)ut medium, i^hort coated ral:»l)its are usu- ally the most ideal in bright and sharp silvering" — white hairs intermixed with the colored hairs — the ground color being a rich l)lue-black. Rustiness should be avoided. This is most frequently noticed on the haunches and inside the fore feet. Particular attention should be paid to the even- ness of silvering- on the feet, cheeks, jaws and whisker-beds. The ears should be neat in shape and not too long. The silvering shovild extend evenly over the whole furred por- tion of the ears, right up to the edges, and of exactly the ^HPi H^v^H SH^^^^H \ (^^^^^^^^^1 ^^K^^^"^'--^ ^^HL\ ^^^^H ^|J^^^^Li ^^^^^^H HHHHP^^ ^^^^^^^ - ' ^^^^H ^^1^;'' '^•^^ ^ "** .^H ^^KS^^mM. * * * *'^ ^^Sm^^^W^^'^4 -^i^Jtt s^9j^*'^ /^^^^^^^^^^I ^^Hfl^^fe * liji * ^^p*^ , ^^2^^^^^B ^^^HlBHibbd^ '^^ 'i|^^^'aHi^^ ^ ^^S||0||^||^Jj|flHBHB^^^H ^^^^^H^^|fl|p7, « ii^^^H SILVER FAWN RABBIT ( Bell and Healon ) same shade of the body. The cla\\ s should match the body color, and while white claws are not a disqualification, they should be heavily penalized in competition. While the tail is usually darker than the l)ody, it is desiralile and ad\an- tageous to strive to match the body. The Silver Fawn, once known as the Silver Cream, is thought to have originated in France. As the Fawn has been made by crossing se\eral varieties, uniformity and e\enness of color are difficult to attain. This is equally true with Browns. The color, or shade, is difficult to de- 9 scribe, l)ut is sometimes named "silver-orange." "Putty- noses," disqualification ; barred feet, smudgy face, and bad undercolor should be avoided in all of the Silvers and heavily penalized. The Silver Brown is also a "made" rabbit and was pro- duced after the Fawn. It is sui)posed to l)e a cross between IDEAL SILVER GREY RABBIT (Fur and Feather) a Silver Grey Buck and a Belgian Doe, and recrossed with a Grey Buck for the silvering. The brown should be void of the blue cast to the color which is often noticed. It is made up of. four distinct colors — slate-blue, brown, black, and white — the white being the silvering and the black the 10 licking-. Tlic slatc-l)luc should start at the nxit of the fur, extendino- halfway up each hair, the end being a bright, rich chestnut color. No pale blue or white color should be visible when the fur is turned back with the fingers. The hind feet should match the fore feet. Avoid a coarse, baggy rabbit, with long coat and ears. STANDARD OF POINTS I'NDERCOLOR— GREY— Deep, rich bhie-black: FAWX — Deep, bright orange, free from brick color; BROWN — Deep, rich chestnut 25 SILVERING— Even throughout 20 TICKING— Sharp, even and bright 15 COAT— Short and full 15 EARS — Neat and well set on, and EYES— Bold and bright 10 CONDITION AND SHAPE— Flesh firm and free from ba.y- giness: weight about six pounds 15 ENGLISH RABBIT (Geo. A. To wnsend- Practical Rabbit Keeping) ENGLISH The English is one of the most recently "made" varieties. Tt was undoul)tedly started from the common English or "Buttertiy Smut" rabbit. It made its appearance on the show l)ench about 1890 under the name of "English" rabl)it. 11 In its early stages the English rabbit was a l^lack rabbit, with splashes of white. The present-day English is white, with clear, definitely placed markings and spots. The markings were not standardized until 1891 when the Na- tional English Rabbit Club was formed. It is conceded by all fanciers that the English rabbit has made more rapid strides towards ])erfection than any other variety, in spite of the fact that more points are necessary to be sought for than any other variety of rabbit. In addition to shape and color, which are the principal requirements in most varie- ties, we have the beautiful markings distributed all over the animal in such a manner as to create quite a sensation to the eye and a most enjoyable treat for both novice and layman to behold. The Englisli of the past generation was known as "But- ter.*Iy vSmut," which it is supposed derived its name from the butterfly-shaped nose, the tail portion extending up the fore face, exactly in the middle, while the wings extend to the sides of the nose, but not quite to the lower lip or jaw. The "butterfly" should be absolutely solid in color and should ha\e no stray colored hairs. The spots encircling the eyes should be about the size of a half-dollar, whereas the cheek-spots should be about half the size of a dime, and clear from the eye circles. The ears should be neat and free from white hairs, and not over four inches in length. The remaining part of the head, up to the base of the ears, should l)e perfectly white and free from any stray colored hairs. The saddle should consist of an unbroken colored streak, beginning with a narrow stripe at the base of the ears, and should gradually widen towards the center of the back where the width should be the greatest, and finish with a very narrow stripe at the end of the tail. The edges of the saddle should be ragged, which is commonly known as "herring-boned."' The body and loin markings are divided into three parts and are defined as follows : 1. The body markings are those connecting the end of 12 the chain with the loin spots and sht)ulcl he equally dis- tributed in small spots below the saddle. 2. Loin markintis furnish the hind quarters of the rabbit and should not exceed the size of a ten-cent piece. 3. The chain commences with a single spot about the size of a pea below and back of the ear. gradually increasing in size and number until they join the loin spots, where they should be the largest, and then diminish in size again to- wards the end of the loins. The other parts of the body, shoulders and chest should be eitirelv free from markinos. TMC MOit fORH duTItRFLY tosmc BONt otriwTtoK a wiNt or fti/TTtorLY / /5/^ « FCATHCR CHAIN MABH1N<.^ BODY MABKINCO 1.0IH MARKINS* IDEAL ENGLISH RABBIT (Fur and Feather) STANDARD OF POINTS Head Markings NOSE^Perfect butterHy sn.ut 15 EYE — Circle around each eye 8 Spots to be clear from eye circle 5 EARS — Neat and free from white hairs, and not more than four inches in length 5 Body Markings NEAT SADDLE, to be herring-boned and clear in any solid color 10 SIDES OF BODY to be evenly patched with spots which should not touch saddle 12 CHAIN MARKINGS, as even as possible on each side 12 13 LEG MARKINGS, one distinct spot on each le,t;; front S points, hind 2 points 7 BELLY or teat SPOTS, six in number 6 COLOR 10 SIZE AND SHAPE, six to eight pounds and between Silver and Belgian 5 CONDITION, good coat and firm in flesh 5 DISQUALIFICATION: Putty noses. DUTCH The Dutch rabbit orii^inated in Holland, where it was bred principally for table purposes, little attention being- given to color stops until the fancy took the breeding of the Dutch, and today it is claimed to be the most popular breed in that country. The Dutch is bred in five standard colors : Black, Blue, Tortoise, Steel or Dark Grey, and Light Grey. Occasionally may be seen Blue-Greys, Blue Fawns, and Yellow. DUTCH RABBIT (Henry A. Resel) Seventy ])oints out of a hundred are allotted to color and color-stops. It is manifest therefore that the color is the principal feature to breed for. The blaze is that part of the white marking on the head which comes down the center of the face, dividing the cheeks. It should come through the ears and gradually widen as it gets down the face, being wedge-shaped. The cheek markings should come down close to the whis- ker beds, but not touch them, and run along the edge of the jaw and around the base of the ears. They should be round and void of any stray white hairs on the edge of the jaw. 14 Tlie length of the ears should be in proportion to the body, neatness being the principal factor. The collar is the white fur between the neck and the saddle. The saddle is the point where the collar ceases and the colored fur begins on the upper part of the body, which should be just behind the shoulders and should go in a perfectly straight line around the body, more than one-half of the body being colored. The undercut is the under part of the body, and is a continuation of the saddle, which should run close behind the fore legs, but not touch them. The colored portion of the body should extend from the saddle marking over the hind quarters and tail, stopping about one and a half inches from the toes, the remainder of each foot being white. Both feet should be exactly alike ; the division should run all around the foot. CHEEK MARKINGS NOSTRILS FORE HEAD SIOC OF SADDLE UNDER CUT \ VoOT STOP EDGE OF JAW COLLAR HIND' FOOT IDEAL DUTCH MARKED RABBIT (Fur and Feather) The ooliir of the iris in the eye of the Dutch should be as nearly of the shade of the color of the rabbit as possible, and should be free of specks or discoloration. Disqualifi- cation : Small specks on eyes, discolored or wall eyes. Distinct spots in the white portions, or flesh markings, and if the rabbit weighs over five and a half pounds, should be hea\ih- penalized. 15 As to size and shape, the Dutch may be described as small and cobby ; the body short, neat and compact, with the head in proportion. The coat should be sleek and bright. STANDARD OF POINTS BLAZE AND CHEEKS 15 NECK, clean 10 SADDLE 10 UNDERCUT 10 FEET STOPS 15 EARS, proportionate to size of body 10 EYES, clear and free from defects and color of body mark- ing 5 COLOR, sound and level 10 SIZE, not to exceed 5^ pounds; SHAPE, cobby; CON- DITION, firm 15 HAVANA RABBITS (Geo. A. Townsend Practical Rabbit Keeping) HAVANA The Ha\ana. like many of the other \arieties. derived its color through accidental l)reedin,i;-. While some have l)e- lieved that it originated in France, one authority states that it was bred in 1898 from 1)lack and white marked ctmimon 16 taljle ral)l)ils in Iltilland. 'I'lie\' did iidt, howexer. become \ei"v jiopular until 1910. wlien the Ent^lisli fanciers tonK liold oi the J lavana and when the Crystal Palace Slmw had a lar^e class of Havanas. The Havana is brown all o\-er, including the belly, the pale grey undercolor beint;- only at the l)ase of the fur next to the skin and therefore not \isible unless the fur is parted with the fingers. It is lively, active and very shy. The color is very susceptible to fading when kept in the sunlight, or in continuous damp weather, when the l)rown fades into a reddish color and becomes patchy. White hairs on the back or on ears; and failing in color on chest, sides of body and hind legs should be heavily penalized. STANDARD OF POINTS CnL()R — A rich, lirijiht l:>r<)wn all over, witii undercoat of pale grey ^ 30 SHAf'E .\XD SIZE — Exceedingly line and elegant, sonie- what like the Black and Tan, head and neck medium: weight, when full grown, not to exceed 55^ pounds 30 EARS — Four inches long, line in substance, small, straight and carried upright 10 FEET — Very slender and straight, with brown toenails.... jo EYES- — Large, the color of the fur, showing a red light in pupil, yet having a soft and gentle expression 5 COAT — Short, fine and silky 10 CONDITION— Healthy, clean, tirm in Hesh 5 POLISH Several sources of origin ha\e l^een accredited to the Polish rabbit, but they are all merely matters of conjecture. It is believed, however, that its existence is due to a few of England's most prominent fanciers who entered the Polish in the shows about 1884. The most perfect speci- mens are said to have emanated from the Dutch rabbit. It is "an all quality" raljbit, void of the slightest suspicion of coarseness. It should weigh between 2J/2 and 3j^ pounds, fine and neat body, and alert. The coat must be short and very fine in texture and lie very close and tight. The Polish should be short and plump; ears fine, thin, neat, nicely rounded, and coxered with line, short fur; head 17 narrow and rac\- lookinL', with ears carried erect. The eyes should be bri,<;ht, bokl and l)lood color, while the feet and limbs should be neat, ct)mpact and free from coarseness. It should l>e pure white and of olossy a])pearance. POLISH RABBITS (Geo. A. Townsmd- Practical Rabbi; Keeping! STANDARD OF POINTS SH.\I'1<". AXD SIZl-; — Xe;it. compact and spriRhtly; weight ^Vz to 3V2 pounds COAT — Fine, close and sliort COLOR— I'ure white ICARvS — Short, line, well rounded, and covered, to touch all the way up without showing Hange EYES — Bright, hold, and as near hlood red as possil)le CONDTTTON IDEAL HEAD OF POLISH RABBIT, SHOWING CORRECT EARS I Geo. A Townsend — Practical Rabbit Keeping* HIMALAYAN The Himalayan has been found in the countries lying- north and south of the Himalayan Mountains, and for that reason many people are of the belief that it oriHnated there. HIMALAYAN RABBIT (Geo A Townsend -Practical Rabbit Keeping) 19 This theory is disputed, however, by the fact that it also exists in China and was later introduced into Continental Europe as the "Russian Rabbit," "Egyptian Smut," "Chi- nese," "Antwerp," etc., and it was not until the Englishman took hold of the breeding of this variety that it received the name "Himalayan." The color of the Himalayan's markings should be rich, velvety black, free of all brown tinge. The markings should be on the nose, ears, feet and tail. The nose marking should be large, well rounded, and come well up the face between the eyes, clean cut and distinct. The ears should be entirely black and well covered with fur ; short, neat and tapering to the tips ; set fairly close together and not carried apart. The feet should be black right to the top of the legs and cut clean there. The tail should also be black. The eye should be pink, bright and bold. Eye-stain is a disqualification. The Himalayan should be snaky in shape (short and cobby rabbits should be heavily penalized), neat and small. The weight about five pounds. STANDARD OF POINTS EARS — Short, tapering and well set 15 NOSE — Even and well up between eyes 15 FRONT FEET — Long, slender and markings well up 15 HIND FEET — To correspond, markings well up hocks. ... '25 EYES — Bold, bright and pink 5 TAIL— Neat, black all over 5 SHAPE— Snaky 5 COAT — Short, fine and pure white 5 WEIGHT— About five pounds 5 CONDITION 5 BLUE IMPERIAL Miss Mabel Illingworth, of Brentwood, England, intro- duced this variety of rabbit to the fancy. This was in 1898. It was brought about in this fashion. She mated a blue Lop doe to a white Angora, which resulted in a litter of pink- eyed whites, blue-fawns and self blues of a dark shade. All had upright ears. She then mated one of these young blue does to a very heavily marked blue-fawn Dutch buck, from which she got blues, and blue-fawns ; some with white feet, noses or faces. She kept two all-blue does which she mated 20 to a newly purchased dark blue Dutch, and crossed and re- crossed until she "created" the beautiful Blue Ini])erial which now adorns the show bench. Her "standard of ex- cellence"' needs no elaboration. BLUE IMPERIAL, and its Originator (C A. House Rabbits and all About Them) STANDARD OF POINTS C( ) l,( ) R — An even dark blue over all 30 SH.Al'E AND SIZE— Somewhat like the Belgian Hare; body long- and graceful, shoulders compact, back gradu- 21 ally rising tu haunches, which should he well rounded, tail long, head long and narrow, with neck of medium length; weight, when full grown, over six pounds, but not to exceed seven pounds LEGS AND FEET— Clean and straight, fine in bone, with dark toenails RARS- — Between four and live inches long, well covered with fur, round at the tips, carried erect and fairly close together EYES — Large, bright, deep l)lue in color, matching the fur.. COAT — Thick, soft and glossy, lying close to skin CONDITION— Healthy, clean, firm and hard in flesh 30 5 10 15 IDEAL FLEMISH GIANT RABBIT DOE ^C. A. House- Rabbils and all About Them) FLEMISH GIANT This, the lari^est exhibition \ariet\' ot ral)l)it. i,s a native of Flander.s, the lowland.s of Bel,i.;ium. The Patagonian, from which the Flemi.'^h Giant was evolved, was bred in grey, lirown-grev and l)lack. Xrnv we ha\e the black, steel-grey and wliite. The name "Flemish (liant" was manifestl}- gi\en this \ariety l^ecause of its size, which is the principal point sought for in its breeding. Does weighing 21 pounds and bucks weighing 15 pounds have appeared on the show ])ench, btit they are a rarity. 22 The head should he stout, full antl sha])ely — "the l)ull-d()i; t}'pe of head" — resting- on the dew-lap of doe, which should he large as possible in the Flemish. There has been increasing inclination among fanciers to breed pure black Flemish Giants. The most favorite color, however, is the steel-grey, the production of which has caused size and weight to be neglected. This may not be worthy of criticism, moreover, as the two should go hand in hand in the breeding of fine specimens of Flemish Giants. As a consequence, to produce size and weight, black and any-other-color classes have been demanded by the fanc}-. FLEMISH GIANT HEADS — On the left length and fineness, which are not desirable: on the right stoutness and strength, the bulldog type of head that is so much desired. (C. A. House— Rabbits and all About Them) The color, whatever it may be, shoidd be clear and bright all over the rabbit, including the feet, shoulders, sides, hind- quarters and thiohs. EXCEPT the belly, which should be white, but the white should not be visible when the rabbit is in position for judging. The tail should match the body ctjlor on top, and the white belly color underneath. Putty nose, white toes, lop ears are disqualifications. 23 STANDARD OF POINTS Steel Grey SIZE AND WEIGHT— Bucks shall not be less than eleven pounds and does not less than thirteen pounds; size shall be considered irrespective of weight 30 COLOR — Dark steel grey, with even or wavy ticking over the whole body, head, ears, chest and feet alike, except belly and under tail, which shall be white. Any grey, steel, sandy or other shade on belly or under tail, except a streak of grey in each groin, shall be penalized accord- ing to quality of competing specimens 20 BODY — Large, roomy, squarely and heavily built; broad fore and hind quarters. Does shall have a dewlap, evenly carried IS LEGS AND FEET— Shall be strong in bone, large and straight i S HEAD AND EARS— Head shall be large, full and shapely; eye bold and dark brown in color; ears erect and mod- erately thick 10 CONDITION — Full short coat, firm in flesh and free from cold 10 Any Other Self Color Same points as Steel Grey, except as to color, which may be any solid color. ANGORA The Angora ral)l>it. with its hnig, rieec\' tresses, is in a class to itself. It is just the contrary to nearly all other varieties of rahbits, which, as a rule, require as short and close a coat as possible. It is supposed to have been origi- nally found in Persia and Asia Minor, where also other long-haired animals, such as goats, sheep and cats are said to have originated. From thence they drifted into Switzer- land and Belgimn. where the peasants reared them ])rin- cipally for their wool, and later for use b}- the furriers. It is bred in a number of colors, the most ]>rominent of which is white. The other colors, (if which few are ])red, are Blue, Black. Grey and Fawn. The coat should be uniformly long and the (|ualil} should he like fine, soft wool, and "not in any wav open or cot- tony." so that when the rabl)it is properly brushed it will have the appearance of a huge snowl)all. as the head is practicall}' hidden from \iew. The ears should be short. 24 thick ami erect, well coxered with hair, with tufts on the extreme ends. I'he le.qs and feet shotild be welil covered with long" hair, commonly called "well furnished." The head should be large and well rottnded and a generous quantity of long hair should appear between and behind the ears. An Angora with a narrow-skulled head shcntld be heaviily penalized. It is a recognized fact that the constant annoyance in faithful brushing" has a tendency to keep down the size of the Angora. This is also attributed to the great amotmt of ANGCRA RABBIT (A. C. Westley i strength going" to the length of coat. .\nd while size is therefore difficult to attain, stress should l)e laid on requir- ing" cobby-shaped rabbits. The eyes should be deep pink, large, bright and bold. The tail should l)e long and covered with long wool. Unless the Angora is in good condition, its general Cjuali- fiscations will be correspondingly diminished. The coat must be clear of all mats or cots. 25 STANDARD OF POINTS \\( )( )l^ — 'IV'xturc as silky as pussihle 30 Length and Quality: Evenly thick all over (not to he matted ) -3 FROXT — Full and prominent 10 EARS — Short, well woolled and tufted 10 SIZE AND SHAPE . . 15 CONDITION— Clean, well fed. healthy and well -roomed.. 10 TAN RABBIT (C. A House) BLACK AND TAN— BLUE AND TAN Tlie 'I'aii rabbit is one (,f the se\-eral varieties which ha\-e been introditced in the past t\vent}'-h\e years, [t made its appearance on tlic show bench in i88(). In 1891 the first clul:) was formed for its ad\ancement ; but it was not until U)02 tliat real ])roi_'ress was made in introducing- this variety int( 1 !>( )])ular fa\-or. The descri])tion of the IDE.XL Tan, lUack or Blue, as L;i\en by the Tan Rabbit Club, is as follows (except as to cohii", the Blue is the same as Black where mentioned) : C()L<)1\ — No other color but lUack and Tan (or Blue and Tan). iNu white or foreign color amongst either l)lack or tan. The color, both in the black and the tan, should reach well to the skin. 26 l)TvSlM1 inches long, free from ticking; Head and Ears to match the body color.. LEGS — Medium heavy boned, front feet solid reddish buff; hind feet red as possible CONDITION— Eirm in flesh and close-coated OEEICIAL WEIGHT— 4K^ pounds at three months; 6 pounds at five n^.onths; 8 pounds at eight months; n pounds at ten months; lo pounds at twelve months. 30 30 13 10 GERMAN GIANT DAPPLE C. A. House-Rabbits and all Aboul Them) UTILITY RABBITS German Giant Dapple Rabbit — Broken Color Flemish — Heavy- weight Belgian — Flemish-Belgian Cross WEIGHT— (Over TEN pounds) 40 BODY — Large, roomy and broad fore and hindquarters.... _'5 LEGS AND EEET — Strong in bone, large and straight.... 13 HEAD .\ND EAi^S— Head large, full and shapely; l-.Yl'. bold; EARS erect and n oderately thick 10 CONDITKj.X — I'ull short coat, firm in flesh, and free from cold 10 29 THE CAVY (Courtesy The Pet Stock World Company, Baltimore) HABITAT— DESCRIPTION The cavy, or ouinea pig, as it is commonly known, is the name applied to several South American rodent animals included in the "cavidae" family, but naturalists apply it, perhaps more properly, to the genus "cavia/" The cavy, in its wild state, is distributed over an exten- sive area of South America and is represented by several species: the more common being the aperea or cobaya (rest- less cavy) of Brazil ; the Bolivian cavy, bolk'iensis, found at great elevations in the Andes Mountains ; the Brazilian rock-cavy, caz'ia rupestris, characterized by its short blunt claws, and the Peruvian cavia cutleri, which is supposed to have been tamed by the Incas, the reigning aristocratic and priestly caste of Ancient Peru, between 1240 and 1523. This theory seems quite plausible when we consider the marvel- ous devlopment of the Llama which is accredited to the Incas, who regarded this animal as royal property, and almost as sacred as to India its white elephant. The early history of the cavy is so veiled in mystery that it is questionable whether our common guinea pig de- scended from the specie known as caz'ia porcellus or cavia aperea of Brazil, the cavia cobaya, or the Peruvian cavia cutleri. Its introduction into Europe after the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards warrants the conclusion that it must have been the pet of the remarkable peoples that inhabited the fabled gold-laden country of the Andes. The name "guinea pig" appears to be a misnomer of un- known origin, some authorities conjecturing that it is a 'corruption of guinea-pig ; others that it was derived from the association with the English coin "guinea," for which it is said to have been sold in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; and still others that the word "guinea" merely signifies foreign. Because of its great fecundity and the ease with which it yields to experiment the fancier has taken a keen interest in this little creature, and since the middle of the nineteenth century wonderful strides ha\'e l)een made in i)erfecting it 30 to the standard whicli man thinks Nature shouhl have adopted in its natural hiw of selection. From the vari- colored wild animal the patient fancier, aided by "Father Time," has produced a dozen distinct colors and combina- tions of the rarest hues, as well as the most freakish abnor- malities, from Nature's standpoint, in its shape and length of coat. It has risen from its insignificance and humble wandering" life among aquatic plants in marshy districts, and the crags in the mountain sides of South America, to the distinction of being groomed and petted by the aristoc- racy of the British Empire and other leaders of society ♦:hroughout the civilized world. VARIETIES This subject is one that should stand foremost in our mind's eye. Too many of us forget the IDEAL, or the standard of perfection, which we should follow as our guide, and instead dote on some particular shade of color, shape or setting of ears, or "bufifalo" shoulders, and forget the AVERAGE of all the points for which we should strive. MIN0QUARTER9 CHtST FORE FEET MIND rtlJl SIDE or BODY IDEAL ENGLISH CAVY (Fur and Feather) ENGLISH The structure of the English cavy is described by Mr. House as follows: "The English cavy must l)e cobby. Its liead large and chubby, with a good Roman nose; the eyes should be bold, l)right and ]jrominent ; the neck short, with 31 great depth of slioulder; the l)ack broad and massive, with well-formed hindquarters ; the ears should be well set on, and droop gracefully, not enough to be styled umbrellas, but just a nice, well-turned droop. Prick ears give a rat- like appearance to the head. The coat should in all varie- ties be short, perfectly smooth, and very soft and silky to the touch." In this variety we have, at present, six self or solid colors : black, red, cream, white, chocolate, and blue. The last two colors are still in their infancy, although considerable prog- ress has l)een made in perfecting the same. DUTCH MARKED CAVY (T. A. Manin, Jr.) In the broken, or \'ari-colored, are the tortoise-shell (black and red), tortoise-shell and white (black, red and white), Hutch, Golden Agouti, Silver Agouti, Himalayan, and Brindle .\ steady advance is also being made in produc- ing such combinations as agouti, red and white; ch(KX)late, red and white ; and cinnamon colored. These, when even- tually perfected, will create quite an interest, as they are most difficult to produce. The BLACK cavy should l)e of the intense blackness of the Raven, full of lustre, with a fine, sleek coat. It is an easy matter to obtain a good outer coat, but the deep black color should extend to the skin. The RED cavy is described by some as a "rich. I^right orange," and by others as a "tomato red." The greatest care should be exercised to keep out the mahogany color. 32 The CREAM should l)e just as its name indicates. The Englishman calls it "Devonshire" cream. It should not be too dark, as many of the creams are too near an orange color, rather than cream. The WHITE should be snowy white, with white ears and pink eyes. Being albinos, they almost invariably breed true to color, and when so bred they usually have very pretty ears. But when crossed with a dark-colored pig the ears will have a dirty appearance. This should be avoided. The CHOCOLATE cavy should be the color of a fresh cake of chocolate ; uniformly colored over entire body, in- cluding ears, feet and toenails. The color should extend down the full length of the hair, right to the skin. The BLUE is not only the latest color produced in the self varieties, but the least perfected as well. The shades thus far presented are too slaty, and appear to be no more than faded l)lack. When finally perfected this will be one of the most beautiful colors obtainable in cavies. TORTOISE AND WHITE CAVY (C. A. House) The TORTOISE-SHELL is a rarity in the United States, and in fact I learn that it is not as popular in Eng- land as the TORTOISE-SHELL AND WHITE. In the former the colors should be red and black, while in the latter white is added. There should be absolutely no brin- dling of colors, that is to say, intermixing, and the patches 33 should be as numerous and uniform as possil^le. The tor- toise-shelil and white may have a one, two or three-colored face. The DUTCH and HIMALAYAN should be marked simi- lar to the rabbits of the same colors. The former has been bred for a longer period than the latter, hence has reached a higher state of perfection. The "Ideal Dutch Cavy" illus- trated herein gives an excellent idea as to the beauty of this little creature if it could be perfectly produced. In the Himalayan all ends should be of some solid color other than white, while the rest of the l^ody should be snowy white, free from brindling. AGOUTI is the name applied to the variety whose color has been copied from the wild Agouti, or "Cotia," in Portu- guese, native of Brazil. The wild agouti and cavy are not related, only the color of the former having attracted the inventive and imitative eye of the fancier. This variety made its first appearance in the Crystal Palace Show. London, in 1888. It is l^red in two combinations, golden and grey, or silver. The former should be of a rich golden brown, while the latter a silvery grey, both evenly ticked on top, sides, chest and feet, but void of ticking on belly. In the golden agouti the belly should be rich, deep red ; while in the silver agouti a pearl grey color should be attained. STANDARD OF POINTS ENGLISH— SELFS COLOR — Solid and carried down to the roots of the hair, ears and feet: must match the body color 25 EARS — Color to match body, shapely and well carried 15 EYES— Large, bold 10 SHAPE — Short, cobl>y body, deep broad shoulders, Roman nose 20 FEET — Sound in color, to match body 10 COAT— Short and silky 10 CONDITION 10 ENGLISH— TORTOISE-SHELL PATCHES— Clear and distinct 45 EYES — Large and bold 10 COAT— Short and silky 10 SIZE, SHAPE and CONDITION— Similar to SELFS 20 COLOR — Black and Red, equally distributed in distinct patches, the smaller and more uniform the lictter 15 34 ENGLISH— TRI-COLOR (Tortoise and White and any combination of three colors) I'A'l'CHES — Clear and distinct 25 DISTRIBUTION — Equal; placing of patches uniform 10 COLOR of each patch distinct without Ijrindlins^- 20 SHAPE— vSimilar to Selfs H EYES AXU EARS— Similar to Selfs to CONDITION AND COAT ro SIZE 10 ENGLISH— HIMALAYANS NOSE MARKINGS, well carried up to eye IS FEET MARKINGS, well carried up 10 EAR MARKINGS, down to base 10 DENSITY of markings 20 PURITY OF WHITE 13 EYES, large and bright, and of a reddish color 10 SHAPE, similar to Selfs 10 CnXDITK )\ 10 ENGLISH— AGOUTI (GOLDEN AND SILVER) Same requirements as Self Cavy, except ticked-color. ENGLISH— BRINDLE (BLACK AND RED INTERMIXED) S;in:c ^(.•(lui^eIli^■nt^ as Self Ca\\'. Dotgm--m"arked IDEAL DUTCH (Fur and Feather) ENGLISH— DUTCH BLAZE AND CM KICKS CLEAN NECK SADDLE 35 UNDERCUT FEET STOPS EARS EYES COLOR SIZE, SHAPE. CONDITION (same as Selfs) lO 15 10 PERUVIAN CAVY (Doubleday. Page & Co.) PERUVIAN The Permian Caw d()ul)tless originated in the same country as the Ent^lish Ca\ y. It is the common l)elief that its outward characteristics were dex'eloped in I-Vance. and 36 later inipruxed Ijy the En,L;lish pidiieer fanciers. Length of coat, head furnishing, and texture or silkiness of coat are the principal points for which the Peruvian admirer strives. The importance of these three characteristics may be appre- ciated when we consider that tifty-fi\e points out of a pos- sible hundred are allotted to them in the standard. The Peruvian is larger than the English or the Abyssinian, while the head alone is proportionately not so large as in the other varieties. The colors produced in this variety are the same as in the other two. STANDARD OF POINTS SWEEP — (Length of Rear Coat)— Of as uniform length over all as possible 15 DENSITY OF COAT 15 TEXTURE OR SILKINESS OF COAT 15 SIDE SWEEP OF HAIR, as long as possible 15 COLOR — (Selfs, free from stray hairs; Broken, as uni- formly colored as possible, according to classes) 10 CONDITION 15 HEAD FURNISHINGS— Fringe should fall well over face, and shoulders should be furnished that it falls in a thick mane 15 ABYSSINIAN CAVY (T. A. Martin) ABYSSINIAN The Ain-ssinian. like the I'eruvian. did not derive its name 1)\- an\- geogra])hical associaticjn and luuli >ubtedl}' emanated from the same source as all other oavies. It has been steadily improved both in harshness of coat and the 37 number of rosettes, which are its principal characteristics. The more numerous the rosettes the better ; as many as fifteen, and rarely more, having been produced on a single cavy. Sixty points out of a hundred are devoted to rosettes, coat, and head furnishings, while only 20 points are allowed for size and shape. The attention to coat should, therefore, be paramount. STANDARD OF POINTS ROSETTES — Each to rise and radiate evenly all round from a clearly defined centre without any break or gap, and to be distributed regularly all over the body, the greater the number the better, providing that each is clear and distinct, without guttering or running into each other 25 COAT — Short, harsh and wiry in texture, with erect mane running right down the back from shoulders to rump, and without flatness or softness of any kind; the scrufif or collar to stand erect and pass right round the shoul- der without a break 20 COLOR — Clear, and bright, with plenty of lustre 10 SHAPE — Short and cobby, not flat-sided; limbs well formed and closely set, without any narrowness or snippiness, with plenty of depth in shoulders and hindquarters 15 HEAD — Wide, and of fair length; nose very prominent, with well-developed moustache, and covered with harsh, erect coat on cheeks 15 EYE — Large, full and bright S CONDITION— Coat close ;nul thick, flesh firm and liard... 10 w^- SILVER-AGOUTI ANGORA CAVY (T. A. Martin, Jr. ) PERUVIAN SILKIES (PSEUDO ANGORA) FACE AND HEAD — Same as smootli; short Roman nose.. EYES— Large, bold 38 20 10 EARS — Drooping, but not lopped lo LENGTH AND STRAIGHTNESS of hair 20 TEXTURE AND DENSITY of hair 15 SIZE 10 CONDITION 5 COLOR 10 THE FANCY MOUSE The fancy mouse is a thiiiii' of recent creation and credit for its creation may be settled upon not more than a dozen fanciers. These earnest fanciers have evolved the most wonderful colors and markings, the most difficult results having been obtained by the English pioneer mouse fanciers. To Mr. \V. Maxey and a few^ contemporaries belong the credit for the beginning of the fancy in England. It was he who organized the National Mouse Club of England, which, in 1903, numbered over a hundred members, and which now has grown to hundreds, among which may be found the royalty as well as those in the humblest walks of life. The same year Mr. Anton Rottmueller, of Boston, imported America's first fancy mice. In the fall of the same year Dr. L. H. Wood, of Groton. Connecticut, im- ported about thirty varieties. Prof. Thomas Hunt Morgan, of Colum])ia University, then took them up and imported many rare specimens from Europe and proceeded to cross and recross them for experimental purposes, which, of course, ruined their original types, but resulted in much scientific research and knowledge. During all of this time, and as far back as 1890, colored mice had been sold in New York as pets for children, but just when they were actually introduced into the i^et stock emporiums is a matter of conjecture. In 1898, Mr. S. Chi- chester Lloyd, of Brooklyn, commenced breeding colored mice, since which time he has evolved several varieties, principal amongst v^hich are the chocolate and white, yellow and white, tan, silver and white, etc. Fancy mice were prominent in this country as far back as 1904, when quite an exhibit was held at Madison Square Garden, New York. Among the exhibitors were such per- sonages as Miss Christine Spencer, of Staten Island; Dr. L. II. Wood, of Groton, Connecticut; Dr. E. B. Southwick, 39 City Entomologist of New York; Prof. Charles Ellard, of Great Neck, Long Island. It was during this year also that strenuous efforts were made to push the mouse fancy, but little ])rogress was made. In this work were interested not only those mentioned above, but such pioneer mouse fanciers as Miss Abliie E. C. Lathrop, of Granby, Massa- chusetts ; John Block, of New York ; and Mr. S. Chichester Lloyd, of Brooklyn, whose stud now numbered in the neigh- borhood of five thousand mice. Miss Lathrop held the office of Chairn"an of the Fancy Mouse Club of the Amer- ican Fur Fanciers' Association until 1914, when she was succeeded by Mr. Lloyd. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS MICE should be in length from seven to eight inches from tip of nt)se to end of tail; long head, not too finely pointed nose; large, bold and ])rominent eyes; large and tulip-shaped ears, free from creases and carried erect, with plenty (»f width between them. Body should be long and slim, and a trifle arched over loin ; racy in appearance. The tail, which should be free from kinks, should come well out of the back, and be thick at the root, gradually tapering like a whip-lash to a fine end, and of about the same length as the body of the mouse. The coat should be short, per- fectly smooth, glossy and sleek. RED mice should be of a rich golden hue, both top and under color, when self or solid colors. CHOCOLATE selfs .shcnild be the color of a cake of bit- ter chocolate. BLUE selfs should be a distinct shade of slate blue, not too dark to be mistaken for blacks, l)ut a pronouncedly dif- ferent color. BLACKS should be a very deep lustrous raven color and have no tan hairs or white feet or pied tails. SILVERS, whether pink-eyed or black-eyed; almost white, like the white smoke of a locomotive. WHITES must be ALL WHITE and not a yellowish tinge, whether with black or red eyes. CREAMS, whether pink or black eyed, must be of a very light shade of yellow, and no dark or light patches any- where on body. 40 PLUMS or PLUM-STLVERS must l)e a pronounced shade of color, about halfway between blue and chocolate, whether pink or red eyed. -NGOUTIS. whicli always have black eyes, must be rich brown ticked all over, with orange hairs. Rufus red in the under color. CINNAMON, or CINNAMON-BROWNS, should l)e rich brown ticked, with chocolate hairs, just the color of powdered cinnamon. GREY AGOUTIS should be about the color of a silver rabbit, ticked with brown or blue. SABLES may be in three shades — light, medium and dark ; the darker the better. From head to tail the color should l)e as near black as possible, shading gradually to rich gold or tan on the sides and underneath. The nose should be tan color and the hairs over the eyes tan also. BLUE AND TANS must be a rich slaty blue on top, with tan jowls, sides and underneath. BLACK AND TANS should be solid black on top, with a distinct dividing line on sides, jowls and feet where the tan should commence. These should also have two tiny tan specks over the eyes. CHOCOLATE AND TANS should be of a rich dark chocolate color on back shading to tan beneath. SILVER AND TANS should be a distinct silver color. as of a frosted silver pitcher on top, shading to deep fawn or red beneath. TORTOISE-SHELL should be red or yellow, with dis- tinct irregular patches of good black sprinkled over the body or face. Unless of distinct shade these mice are "sootv fawns" and merely miscolored yellows and have no value on the show bench. SABLE AND WHITE are sables with patches of white over the body. They are known as tri-colored mice, as they are distinctly marked with black, tan and white. The more white the better the specimen. TAN, SILVER AND WHITE are as near Dutch marked as possible, though not necessarily of this marking, having the saddle marking and hindquarters of a distinct silver shade with the under color red, while the ear and cheek 41 ,THE TDEAL UOUSE 1 Dutoh Marked 2 - Himalayan Marked 3 - Four Spotted Even Marked 4 - Even Marked 5 - Six Spotted Even Mewked 6 - Seven Spotted Even - or Patched 7 - Ten Patched Broken Marked 8 - Variegated 9 - Three Patched Bald-face 10 - Banded B«ld-fao* 11 - Holtft^in Marked 12 - Bald-face IDEALS OF TWELVE VARIETIES OF MICE (S. Chichester Lloyd) 42 niarkin^is are deep golden red shadint;- to silver. The rest of the body sht)uld l)e \-ery white, the eyes black. SILVER GREYS, FAWNS, BLUES and BROWNS shoud be possessed of distinct color of the shades named ticked all over with white hairs. LILACS are nearly always pink-eyed and should su^i^est the shade of a lilac blossom. PINK-EYED BLUES should be a deep blue with crim- son eyes. BROKEN MARKED— Any of the foregoing colors with black eyes irregularly patched with color on a ground of pure white are known as broken marked. In these pied tails are permissible. Pink-eyed broken-marked mice, such as in lilac and white, silver-fawn and white, yellow and white, and cream and white, should be judged separately from black-eyed brokens and form a class by themselves. EVEN MARKED— These have the patches of color placed evenly over a ground of pure white. (See illustra- tions. ) They may be of any color or variety of colors, but markings must be very evenly placed. HARLEQUIN, PATCHED or DALMATIAN MARKED mice should have a large number of spots distributed at random over the body. The more spots the better the speci- men. They may be in any colors. DUTCH MARKED mice should be as near as possible like the Dutch-marked rabbit. The higher the saddle the better, all other points being equal. VARIEGATED mice should have tiny streaks of color, as well broken up as possible, running from head to foot and tail, all being connected by minute hair lines of color on white ground. They may be in any color. CLASSES AND STANDARD OF POINTS Color black-eyed Selfs 75 I'ink-eyed Selfs 75 Dutch marked ^5 I'ink-eyed Brokens 75 I Hack-eyed Brokens. patched and \ ariegated 25 10 65 43 Shape, Size, Condition Markings 25 25 25 50 25 Tri-colored or Tortoise and White. . 75 10 15 Two-colored, without White 75 5 20 Waltzing Mice. Black and White.. 25 70 5 Waltzers, Self s 50 50 Waltzers, any other two colors.... 50 50 Egyptian Spiney Mice .. 100 Kangaroo Mice . . 100 Deer Mice 25 75 Any other variety 50 25 25 Judg-es will use their discretion in deducting from each set of points any vagaries in color, shape, size and markings, the mark for condition being quite important in the case of wild mice or Waltzers, which are generally shown in poor condition. RATS GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS While the rat fancy has reached large proportions in England, little progress has been made in this country. It is encouraging, however, to note that Americans are gradu- ally awakening to the possibilities and beauties of the new varieties of rats which have recently been discovered, namely, yellows, creams, lilacs, blues and chocolates, and their broken colored brethren with ruby and black eyes. • Their tameness, sagacity and playful ways and their at- tachment to master or mistress makes a tame rat of beauti- ful color a most desirable pet, as well as the fact that a rat has absolutely none of that musky odor which is unfortu- nately one of the main drawbacks to the mouse fancy. Fancy rats, crude as they were at that time, were imported as far back as 1898 by Dr. E. B. Southwick. These were nothing more than the cross between the black and the white, and the cross of the common grey house rat with the albino. Miss Lathrop also bred many rats during this time, as did also Mr. Lloyd, all of whom imported some of the new varieties of yellow rats. An interesting feature of the rat fancy is the romantic mystery of the origin of the yellow rats. Scientists all over the world are wondering where those types came from, as the country of their nativity is unknown. They were caught 44 on some steamer sailins^- either from a tropical port or from a cold climate, which is not known, as the rat-catcher did not recall the name or nationality. The original buck was a deep orange color with rich crimson eyes and killed over twenty tame does befcire he was finally persuaded to breed. The yellow does had black eyes and bred once and then escaped. From their progeny came all the new types. It is also understood that a Dutch scientist evolved indepen- dently an orange rat with black eyes. The points to be considered in a rat are. mainly, color, condition of coat, tameness and freedom of disease such as snuffles, mange or eczema. WHITES should be clear white, wathout yellow tinge. AGOUTIS should be the same shade as the Agouti cavy. BLACKS (which are usually of a deep chocolate-black) should have a deep lustre. CHOCOLATES should be a pronounced color and not ofT-blacks. BLUES are what the English term Creams. Why they are called Cream in Europe is not known, except that they are offshoots from the solid yellow rat. They are light Maltese color, with black eyes. BLUES WITH PINK EYES— Same as above, with deep crimson eyes. MALTESE^ — Light blue in shade, with either black or red eyes. Color generally white underneath. YELLOWS, or Fawns as they are sometimes called, should be anything from a light canary to a deep golden orange, with either black or red eyes. BROKEN MARKED or HOODED RATS— These may be any of the above colors, with or without red eyes, marked as illustrated on white ground color. The white must be distinct and the striping along back solid thin pencil line with squarecut- hood. Rats having line along back marked with serrated edges or series of small separated spots are known as BROKEN MARKED. CREAM AND WHITE HOODED RATS are of light chocolate color marking on white. 45 CHOCOLATE AND WHITE HOODED RATS are of cocoa color on white. Deeper colors in these varieties should be striven for. IDEAL JAPANESE RAT (S. Chichester Uoyd > CLASSES AND STANDARD OF POINTS Pink-eyed Selfs Black-eyed Selfs Pink-eyed Hooded . . . . Pink-eyed Brokens . . . . Black-eyed Hooded . . . Black-eyed Brokens . . . Any other variety of WILD OR FANCY RAT Color C ondition Tameness Mark 50 25 25 50 25 25 50 10 15 25 50 10 15 25 50 10 15 25 50 10 15 25 50 30 15 As fanciers now have something" upon which to work in the newly discovered yellows and orange, chocolate, mal- tese and blues, the severest penaltv should be imposed upon ANY OTHER THAN TAME RATS, as no judge relishes the vicious attack of the formerly shown wild varieties, and the only necessity on the part of the breeder is daily han- dling of all rats. ALL RAT CAGES USED FOR EXHIBITION PUR- POSES MUST BE PLAINLY MARKED FOR THE JUDGE'S information, as to the nature or disposition of the occupant, as "TAME," "SEMI-WILD," "VICIOUS," "WILD," or other information as to the best manner of handling to judge, if necessary. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Judges are cautioned that in judging mice or rats, par- ticularly rats, the only safe method is to grasp them half- 46 way u]) the len,qth oi the tail and swing- quickly to the arm or wrist, allowing the four feet to rest thereon. Do not keep suspended in air any longer than absolutely necessary, as rats can climb their own tails. Also, if taken hold of too near the tip. the tail-skin will pull off. IDEAL EXHIBITION SHIPPING BOX (C. A. House Rabbits and all About Them) Rabbit Exhibition Box. — Ventilation is provided for by the holes bored in the ends and along the lop of each side. A false end is fixed inside about one-half inch from each end, to prevent draughts. EXHIBITING Exhibiting is the result of the efforts of the fancier in following the advice of his older l^rethren ; the rules laid down for the housing, breeding, and feeding of his stock ; and his own practical experience. It is the zenith of his aml:)itions and the tell-tale of his success or failure. Tem- Ijorary misfortune on the show bench should not discour- age the novice, for it may be merely his inal^ility to judge his own stock, in making his various matings. or lack of experience in any one of the se\'eral departments of the pet stock fancy, that causes him to be l)eaten. Success is bound to come to the observing breeder, coupled with com- mon-sense methods. The ambitious fancier will visit the shows and acquaint himself, by kindly inquiry of the judges and well-informed veterans, wherein his shortcomings are manifest, lie will return to his little family of ((uadrupeds and appl}- the knowledge thus conveyed to him. and when 47 the next season returns, to his utter amazement, the laurels find their way to this patient, persevering lover of industry. His success should not tempt him to over-exhibit or to greedily seek to "corner" all the prizes on his several varieties, for after a few shows his stock will succumb to the strain of travel, rough handling, close and foul con- finement, unsystematic feeding, and his season is closed. On the other hand, he should plan his exhibits so that sufii- cient time elapses between events to allow the show speci- mens to recuperate so that when their turn again arrives they may be able to meet the jealous pride of some fellow- animal. The cautious fancier will provide himself with a good conditioning mixture, and feed only the most appetizing foods at these times, both before and after each show. The brush and silk or chamois skin will here demonstrate its usefulness, for the critical eye of the judge manifests his true sport by showing his preference for the well-groomed specimen. Many fanciers even supplement the brush and silk with a good rub with a whisp of hay and later with the hand, which brings the gloss to the surface. In fact, there are some who feed small quantities of flaxseed meal, which renders the hair oily and facilitates the i)roduction of the shiny coat. In the case of white specimens, washing a few days be- fore a show might not be amiss. When shipping animals to distant cities for exhibition purposes, do not use any old store box that may be avail- able. Such boxes are not only irritating to the show at- tendants and may subject the animals to careless treatment as a consequence, but are subject to improper handling by railroad employees. A little time and judgment may be well spent in making a case out of light wood, with a com- partment for each specimen, good ventilation, and carrying handles. Each compartment should have a bountiful sup- ply of hay before shipping, and. in addition, a carrot or two, and a piece of stale bread. Also, see that the exhibits are shipped in good time, so that all time and trouble in their rearing and preparation may not be wasted by their late arrival and consequent elimination from competition. 48 SHOW RULES OF THE AMERICAN FUR FANCIERS' ASSOCIATION 1. Permission may be granted to all exhibition or show committees to hold shows under these rules by application to the Governing Board, through the Secretary-Treasurer, the application to guarantee the observance of these rules. 2. Every specimen entered in competition must be the bona-fide property of the exhibitor and must be entered in the name of the owner or owners, otherwise entry fee and prize money shall be forfeited. 3. The Association shall be assured that at all A. F. F. A. shows a responsible handler is in charge, who shall super- vise and be held responsible for the proper penning and care of stock and its proper return. Handling of stock shall not be permitted except by handlers, the Judge approved by the Governing Board, or the owner. Judges shall not un- pack and cage any exhibition specimen. 4. Any exhibitor interfering with or interrupting the Judge during the process of judging or making himself ob- noxious to Superintendent or Judge before or after judging shall forfeit entry fee and all awards and prizes on stock entered by him at the show, or if without entry and a mem- ber of the Association, shall be disciplined by the Govern- ing Board in such manner as may be deemed proper. Dis- qualified exhibitors shall be reported by the Judge to the Secretary of the Association for appropriate action of the Board. 5. Any exhibitor may protest in writing for palpable dis- honesty or fraudulent practice of any Judge or Judges in connection with classes in which he may l)e personally in- terested, which protest must be handed to the Secretary of the SHOW before the close of the show. The protest will be accompanied by two dollars, which shall be forfeited if protest is not sustained by the Governing Board, but will be refunded if sustained. 6. No judge shall exhibit in any class he is assigned to pass upon at any show. 7. Judging shall be by COMPARISON. 8. Exhibitors may have individual specimens scored by the Association Standard upon payment of 25 cents for 49 each specimen. 'Requests for scoring must be included on entry sheet at time oi submitting entry. ' 9. The American Fur Fanciers' Standard of Perfection shall be the authority on all points involved in the judging of specimens under these rules. Any judge wilfully deviat- ing therefrom shall be disqualified by the Governing Board, upon proof thereof signed by at least three exhibitors and the Secretary of the Show. 10. Any exhibitor of pet stock showing or competing under these rules who may not ])e a member of this Asso- ciation shall submit and hereby agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of the American Fur Fanciers' Association, and shall be treated in like manner as any member. The pres- ence of exhibits shall constitute compliance herewith and acquiescence with these rules. 11. SENIOR class is for all rabbits, cavies and mice not included in the JUNIOR class. JUNIOR class is for all RABBITS under six (6) months old, and cavies under four (4) months old WHEN EXHIBITED. BROOD class is open to does and sows with litters under ten weeks and over three weeks" old. In case of doubt as to age of specimen, the Judge shall exercise his discretion and shall have the advantage of the doubt in passing upon same. 12. All specimens shall be exhibited in their natural con- dition. 13. When specials are offered for the best of a variety or the best animal in a show, all first prize animals in that particular variety, or, if offered for the best animal of any variety in the show, all prize winners shall be considered, and the one scoring the highest general average, without regard to breed or variety, shall be awarded the prize. SPECIAL AWARDS on sweepstakes shall be made on points, first prize to count 6; second. 4; third. 3; fourth. 2. and fifth, i. Pens to count double. The total number of points won by an exhibitor to be MULTIPLIED by the number of specimens exhibited in his variety. This grand total to be the number of points counted in the competition. 14. The term BREEDER is defined by OWNERSHIP of FEMALE at the time of mating. 15. Classes shall be provided for Senior Male. Senior Female, Junior Male, and Junior Female, for the following varieties : 50 RABBITS Belgian Hares New Zealand Angora, White Dutch, Black Angora, A. O. C. Dutch, Blue Himalayan Dutch, Steel Flemish Giant (Steel Dutch, A.O.C. Grey) Flemish Giant, A.O.C. English, A.O.C Black or Blue and Tan English Lop French Lop Polish Silver Grey Silver Fawn Silver, A.O.C. English, Black or Blue Blue Imperial Any other variety Rabbit Utility Department Best Utility Rabbit for table purposes. CAVIES Separate Classes Will Be Provided for English, Abyssinian and Peruvian Self Black Self White Self Red Self Cream Self Chocolate Golden Agouti Silver Agouti Tortoise and White Black Dutch Red Dutch Any other color Angora Cavies — Any Self color, and any Broken color MICE Black-eyed Selfs Pink-eyed Selfs Dutch Marked Pink-eyed Broken Black-eyed Broken, patched or varie- gated Pink-eyed Selfs Black-eyed Selfs Pink-eyed Hooded Tortoise and White Two-colored, without White Waltzing, Black and White Waltzers, Self RATS Pink-eyed Broken Black-eyed Hooded Black-eyed Broken Waltzers. any other two colors Egyptian Spiney Kangaroo Deer Mice Any other variety Any other variety of Wild or Fancy Rat not enumerated in Standard or newly discovered i6. The show rules of any fair, show, or other exhibition in which pet stock is entered in competition under these rules shall govern where not in conflict herewith. 51 INDEX Page FOREWORD I THE FANCY RABBIT 3 English Lop 3 French Lop 5 Belgian Hare 6 Silver 8 English II Dutch 14 Havana 16 Polish 17 Himalayan 19 Blue Imperial 20 Flemish Giant 22 Angora 24 Black and Blue-and-Tan 26 New Zealand Red 28 UTILITY RABBITS -. 29 German Giant Dapple Broken Color Flemish Heavyweight Belgian Flemish-Belgian Cross THE CAVY "30 Habitat — Description 30 Varieties 31 English 31 Peruvian 36 Abyssinian ^y Peruvian Silkies ( Pseudo Angora) 38 THE FANCY MOUSE AND RAT 39 EXHIBITING 47 SHOW RULES, American Fur Fanciers' Association 49 52 EARL G. TORREY PRINTER Washington, d. c. 1