• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1361-1366
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• 2008

One-hundred and twenty Ischia grey rabbits, traditionally raised in pits, were equally divided after weaning (32 days) into three groups: group C, housed in cages (4 rabbits/cage) and fed a commercial concentrate; group GF, housed as C group and fed grasses collected on the island and crushed faba beans supplemented with an appropriate mineral vitamin mix; group P, housed in pits (8 rabbits/pit) and fed as GF group. Feed intake was recorded daily and live weight monthly up to slaughter (92 days). At slaughter, 10 rabbits per group were used to measure carcass and meat traits. The carcasses were weighed and measured according to the standard procedures and meat samples from the Longissimus dorsi and left hind leg were analysed for water holding capacity and chemical composition, respectively. During the entire trial, group C consumed significantly (p<0.01) a higher quantity of feed than the other groups (126.1 vs. 63.4 and 66.5 g/d, resp. for groups C, GF and P) and at slaughter showed a significantly (p<0.01) higher body weight (2,529.7 vs. 1,324.4 and 1,375.4 g, resp. for groups C, GF and P). Significant differences (p<0.01) were found also for dressing out percentage (68.6 vs. 66.6 and 66.9%, resp. for groups C, GF and P) and for meat chemical composition, in particular lipid percentage (4.13 vs. 1.84 and 1.93%, resp., for groups C, GF and P, p<0.01) and moisture (73.7 vs. 76.4 and 76.3%, resp. for groups C, GF and P, p<0.01). The results suggest the opportunity to obtain heavier animals raised in the pits if their diets were integrated with commercial feed.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.843-863
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• 2009

This paper aims at tracing the appearance of Italy in W. H. Auden's poems. Auden summered on Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples, between 1948 and 1957. In the process of ten years of contact with Italy, Auden' poetry developed out of Italy, and contributed to the world's picture of Italy by English poets. In the early part of his stay, Auden was fascinated with Italy and found a source of vitality for composing his poems. But Auden's initial view of Italian culture evolved from extolling its virtues to a more critical one weighing its losses and benefits. The happiest mood is reflected in "In Praise of Limestone", in which the ground itself becomes a symbol of Eden. "Ischia" introduces the real landscape of the island. Auden partly admits the darkness of the island in the aspects of its past history and legends, but the poem is still mainly about praising the beauty of the island and the comfort that it gives to the poet. In "Goodbye to the Mezzogiorno" the negative side of the island's life comes to light. There was something in the setting, warm and beautiful as it was, that no longer suited Auden's temperament and Auden bids farewell to his Mediterranean period. His view of Italy is a restricted and detached one seen through the eyes of a successful Anglo-American poet. Auden's cosmopolitan character often is defined such terms as "the Wandering Jew," "alien" or "stateless Auden". But our reading of his poems dealing with Italy reveals his true characteristics which can not transcend his evolving views.