Black wild rabbit

[calismum]

A week or so I mentioned we have a wild rabbit that is black.

He was in the field the other day.

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/calismum/P7310491.jpg
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/calismum/P7310492.jpg
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/calismum/P7310489.jpg
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/calismum/P7310495.jpg

[Mags]

He's lovely CM, I've never seen a black wild rabbit before.....

[dandysmom]

Cute little fellow! Is melanism common in rabbits? It is in squirrels. Or maybe a descendant of an escaped tame one?

[PoshPuss]

He is a lovely fellow. :) Hope he steers clear of trouble.

[calismum]

Cute little fellow! Is melanism common in rabbits? It is in squirrels. Or maybe a descendant of an escaped tame one?
No idea - I ssume he is descended from an escapee.
He is a lovely fellow. :) Hope he steers clear of trouble.
This is the 2nd year he's been about. There are another two younger ones we see now and again. So I assume he's established somewhere.

[Tink]

oh, he's cute. reminds me of a rabbit from a fairy tale :-D

[Shelley123]

He's lovely, where i live there are a lot of Rabbits that live on the roundabout and along the side of the duel carriageway. I have seen quite a lot of baby Black rabbits.

[farthing]

We have the odd black one that turns up, we had one who lived for 2 years in one of our fields. There was one last year but it died of myxi.:cry:

[angieh]

What a lovely bunny - he looks like he's in good condition.

Here is a rather nice B&W picture of one of my old haunts ......http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc44/angieh_bucket/Misc/BlackRabbitArundel.jpg

A black rabbit is a magical creature ..................

[calismum]

Angie - is that in West Sussex - Arundel?? I'm positive I was there for lunch when I visited an antique fair at Arundel showground!!

[dandysmom]

Is that an inn or a pub, Angie? What an interesting looking place!

[angieh]

Angie - is that in West Sussex - Arundel?? I'm positive I was there for lunch when I visited an antique fair at Arundel showground!!

Yes, that's the one CM - clever you recognising it! I haven't been there in years - used to be a favourite haunt of mine especially during the summer as it's just by the river. I am very much afraid it will have turned into a gastro-pub by now. It is now close by the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust centre, so next time I go there .......

Is that an inn or a pub, Angie? What an interesting looking place!

I'm going to have to look up the difference between an inn and a pub Eileen! Also when it dates from - there used to be a canal - The Wey and Arun Canal that ran from London via Guildford all the way to Portsmouth that was used mainly to provision the naval dockyards there. It could have been a bargee's pub - there is no main road past it, so it wouldn't have been a coaching inn. I'll see if I can find more info!

[dandysmom]

I'd just assumed an inn was a place where travellers could get lodging as well as food, a pub for drink/food only. Am I misinformed? Whatever, it looks charming, and liked the historical background.

[angieh]

You are right of course Eileen -

"The difference between the English Pub and Inn is now a little blurred. The Inn provided accommodation and meals and years ago the Pub only drinks."

And what then, is a "tavern"!

Not sure if The Black Rabbit had accommodation or not. Off to Google!

Here we are: Not really ALL that old - first licence in 1804

http://www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk/pubs/pubwalks/blackrabbit.asp

[dandysmom]

Thanks for that link. what a delightful place. I'd love to have a meal there, and the walk sounds very nice. Must look up "ramsons", wonder of they are like our wild garlic "ramps"?

[angieh]

Yes, they are Eileen.

[dandysmom]

I just finished looking them up; they are allium ursinium and our wild ramps are allium triccocum. I learn more things on Catsey! That might have made a tricky quiz Q! :D