ch. ii.] CURIOSITIES. 57 



oxen by the crossing of distinct species of Bos (some of 

 which I happen to know are sterile together), and the au- 

 thor had the impudence to state that he had corresponded 

 with me, and that I had been deeply impressed with the im- 

 portance of his result. The article was sent to me by the 

 editor of an English Agricultural Journal, asking for my 

 opinion before republishing it. 



A second case was an account of several varieties raised 

 by the author from several species of Primula, which had 

 spontaneously yielded a full complement of seed, although 

 the parent plants had been carefully protected from the ac- 

 cess of insects. This account was published before I had 

 discovered the meaning of heterostvlism, and the whole 

 statement must have been fraudulent, or there was neglect 

 in excluding insects so gross as to be scarcely credible. 



The third case was more curious : Mr. Huth published 

 in his book on " Consanguineous Marriage " some long ex- 

 tracts from a Belgian author, who stated that he had inter- 

 bred rabbits in the closest manner for very manv genera- 

 tions, without the least injurious effects. The account was 

 published in a most respectable Journal, that of the Eoyal 

 Society of Belgium ; but I could not avoid feeling doubts 

 I hardly know why, except that there were no accidents of 

 any kind, and my experience in breeding animals made me 

 think this improbable. 



So with much hesitation I wrote to Professor Van Bene- 

 den, asking him whether the author was a trustworthy man. 

 I soon heard in answer that the Society had been greatly 

 shocked by discovering that the whole account was a fraud.* 

 The writer had been publicly challenged in the journal to 

 say where he had resided and kept his large stock of rabbits 

 while carrying on his experiments, which must have con- 

 sumed several years, and no answer could be extracted from 

 him. 



My habits are methodical, and this has been of not a 

 little use for my particular line of work. Lastly, I have 

 had ample leisure from not having to earn my own bread. 

 Even ill-health, though it has annihilated several years of 

 my life, has saved me from the distractions of society and 

 amusement. 



* The falseness of the published statements on which Mr. Huth relied were 

 pointed out in a slip inserted in all the unsold copies of his book, The Mar- 

 riage of near Kin. F. D. 



