University of Virginia Library

OF RABBIT SELLING IN THE STREETS.

Rabbit-selling cannot be said to be a distinct
branch of costermongering, but some street-
sellers devote themselves to it more exclusively
than to other "goods," and, for five or six
months of the year, sell little else. It is not
often, though it is sometimes, united with the
game or poultry trade, as a stock of rabbits, of
a dozen or a dozen and a half, is a sufficient
load for one man. The best sale for rabbits is in
the suburbs. They are generally carried slung
two and two on a long pole, which is supported
on the man's shoulders, or on a short one which
is carried in the hand. Lately, they have been
hawked about hung up on a barrow. The trade
is the briskest in the autumn and winter months;
but some men carry them, though they do not
confine themselves to the traffic in them, all the
year round. The following statement shows the
nature of the trade.

"I was born and bred a costermonger," he
said, "and I've been concerned with everything
in the line. I've been mostly `on rabbits' these
five or six years, but I always sold a few, and
now sometimes I sell a hare or two, and, if
rabbits is too dear, I tumble on to fish. I buy
at Leadenhall mainly. I've given from 6s. to
14s. a dozen for my rabbits. The usual price is
from 5s. to 8s. a dozen. [I may remark that
the costers buy nearly all the Scotch rabbits, at
an average of 6s. the dozen; and the Ostend
rabbits, which are a shilling or two dearer.]
They're Hampshire rabbits; but I don't know
where Hampshire is. I know they're from
Hampshire, for they're called `Wild Hampshire
rabbits, 1s: a pair.' But still, as you say, that's
only a call. I never sell a rabbit at 6d., in
course — it costs more. My way in business
is to get 2d. profit, and the skin, on every
rabbit. If they cost me 8d., I try to get 10d. It's the skins is the profit. The skins now brings
me from 1s. to 1s. 9d. a dozen. They're best
in frosty weather. The fur's thickest then. It
grows best in frost, I suppose. If I sell a
dozen, it's a tidy day's work. If I get 2d. a-piece on them, and the skins at 1s. 3d., it's
3s. 3d., but I dont sell above 5 dozen in a week
— that's 16s. 3d. a week, sir, is it? Wet and
dark weather is against me. People won't often
buy rabbits by candlelight, if they're ever so
sweet. Some weeks in spring and summer I
can't sell above two dozen rabbits. I have sold
two dozen and ten on a Saturday in the country,
but then I had a young man to help me. I sell
the skins to a warehouse for hatters. My old
'oman works a little fish at a stall sometimes,
but she only can in fine weather, for we've a kid
that can hardly walk, and it don't do to let it
stand out in the cold. Perhaps I may make
10s. to 14s. a week all the year round. I'm
paying 1s. a week for 1l. borrowed, and paid 2s. all last year; but I'll pay no more after Christ-
mas. I did better on rabbits four or five year
back, because I sold more to working-people and
small shopkeepers than I do now. I suppose
it's because they're not so well off now as they
was then, and, as you say, butchers'-meat may
be cheaper now, and tempts them. I do best
short ways in the country. Wandsworth way
ain't bad. No more is parts of Stoke-Newing-
ton and Stamford-hill. St. John's Wood and
Hampstead is middling. Hackney's bad. I
goes all ways. I dont know what sort of peo-
ple's my best customers. Two of 'em, I've been
told, is banker's clerks, so in course they is rich."

There are 600,000 rabbits sold every year in
the streets of London; these, at 7d. a-piece, give
17,500l. thus expended annually in the metro-
polis.