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Show 122 DOMESTIC RABBITS. Ci!AP. IV. . 1 . 1 thicker and shorter than those tho neural spine of tho tenth IS p am ~ lo -cared rabbits tho ncmal of all the anterior vcrtobrm. In tho htige P spines of the tenth, ninth, eighth, and oven in a slight degree that of the seventh vertebra, A arc very much thicker, and of somewhat different shape, in comparison with those of tho wild rabbit. So that this part of the verte-bral column differs considerably in appearance 13 from the same part in tho wild rabbit, and closely resembles in an interesting manner these Fi . l4.-Dorsnl Vert.cbrro, from sixth to tenth ~nclusive, of sam~ vertcbr::e in some gnaturnl size, viewed laterally. A .. Willi llabblt. spcclCS of hares .. In the n. Large, Hare-coloured, so called Spamsh Rabbit. Angora, Chinchilla, and Himalayan rabbits, ~ho nc~al ~p~~o ~!i:e ebg:\~:~~!~~~~~~t~~)l::~~ in a slight degree tluckcr ~ an U: . mo~t of its characters deviates in an the feral Por~ Santo mb~Its, ~h~c~h: largo lop-cared rabbits do from the exactly oppil?sdite. ~~~c:hc o n:U:O.l spines of tho ninth and tenth vertebrro common w ra 1 . ot at all larcrcr ' than those of the several ant erw· r ver tebr::e. . In this :.~~ ;orto Santo ~pecimen there was no trace in the ninth vcrtebr~ of dt~c anterior lateral processes (sec woodcut 14),. wruch arc plai:UY dove ~pe 1 ~ all British wild rabbits, and still more plamly developed m the larfc l~p ·ed rabbits In a half-wild rabbit from Sandon Pal'k,2o a hrema spmo ~~s modcrat~ly well developed on the und01: side of tho twelfth dorsal vertebra and I have seen this in no other spemmen. . 1 t 1 umb~1• ve1·tebr·u'.-I have stated that in two cases thoro were. CJg l · ~'tel f seven lumbar vertebrre. Tho third lumbar vertebra ill ~no ~:~leton ~fa wild British rabbit, and in one of tho Porto Santo feral rabb~ts, had a hmmal spine; whilst in fom skeletons of largo lop-cared mbb1ts, and in tho llimalayan rabbit, tbis same vertebra had a well-developed hmmal spine. b 1 t 1 · d l'elvis.-In four wild specimens tbis bone was almost a sou c Y I on-tical in shape; but in several domesticated breeds shades of dillcrcno;s 20 These rabbits have run wild for a considerable time in Sandon Park, and in ott1er places in r::ltrdf(mlshirc and hropshire. They originated, as I have been informed by tho gamekeeper, from variously-coloureu domestic mbbits which had been turned out. They vary in colour ; but many are symmetrically coloured, being w hi to with a strcul.c along the spine, aucl wilh tho cars and certain marks about the head of a blackish-grey tint. They have .rather longer bodies than common rabh1ts. CHAP. IV. DIFFERENCES IN TIIEIR SKELETONS. 123 could bo distinguished. In tho largo lop-cared rabbits tho whole upper part of tho ilium is straighter, or less splayed outwards, than in the wild rabbit; and the tuberosity on the inner lip of the anterior and upper part of the ilium is proportionally more prominent. 8tenmm.-Tho posterior end of the posterior sternal bone in the wild rabbit (fig. 15, A) is tbin and slightly enlarged; in some of tho large lop-cal·cd rabbits (n) it is much more enlarged towards the extremity; whilst in other specimens ( o) it keeps nearly of tho same breadth from end to end, but is much tbickcr at tho extremity. A n c Fig. 15.-Termlnal bono of Sternum, of natural size. A. Wild Rabbit. B. llnre. coloured, Lop-cared Jtabbit. C. Jlarc·colourcd, Spanish Habbit. (N.B. The left· hand angle of the upper articular extremity of B wns broken, and has been ncciden tally thus reprosen ted.) B c D Fig. 16.-Acromlon of Scapula, of natural size. A. WUd &bblt. B, C, D. Large, Lop·earcd &bb!ts. Scapula.-The acromion sends out a rectangular bar, ending in an oblique knob, .which latter in the wild rabbit (fig. 16, A) varies a little in shape and Size, as does tho apex of the acromion in sharpness, and tho part just ?elow tb~ rectangular bar in breadth. But the variations in these respects ill the Wild rabbit arc very slight; whilst in tho large lop-eared rabbits they ~e considera~le. Thus in some specimens (n) the oblique terminal knob IS developed illto a short bar, forming an obtuse angle with the l'ectangular bar. In another specimen (o) these two unequal bars form nearly a straight line. The apex of the acromion varies much in breadth and sharpness, as may be seen by compa1·ing fig~. n, o, and D. L~'mbs.-In these I could detect no variation; but the bones of tho feet were too troublesome to compare with much care. I have now described all the differences in the skeletons which I have observed. It is impossible not to be struck with the high degree of variability or plasticity of many of the bones. We see how erroneous the often-repeated statement is, that only th!=l crests of the bones which give attachment to muscles vary in shape, and that only parts of slight importance |