Chap. XVI. THE CROSSING OF VARIETIES. 81 



distinct as rooks and pigeons." In this case different habits 

 of life tend to keep the races distinct. On one of the Faroe 

 islands, not more than half a mile in diameter, the half- wild 

 native black sheep are said not have readily mixed with the 

 imported white sheep. It is a more curious fact that the 

 semi-monstrous ancon sheep of modern origin "have been 

 observed to keep together, separating themselves from the 

 rest of the flock, when put into enclosures with othei sheep. "^ 

 With respect to fallow-deer, which live in a semi domesti- 

 cated condition, Mr. Bennett ^ states that the dark and pale 

 coloured herds, which have long been kept together in the 

 Forest of Dean, in High Meadow Woods, and in the New 

 Forest, have never been known to mingle : the dark-coloured 

 deer, it may be added, are believed to have been first brought 

 by James I. from Norway, on account of their greater 

 hardiness. I imported from the island of Porto Santo two of 

 the feral rabbits, which differ, as described in the fourth 

 chapter, from common rabbits ; both proved to be males, 

 and, though they lived during some years in the Zoological 

 Gardens, the superintendent, Mr. Bartlett, in vain endea- 

 voured to make them breed with various tame kinds ; but 

 whether this refusal to breed was due to any change in the 

 instinct, or simply to their extreme wildiiess, or whether 

 confinement had rendered them sterile, as often occurs, cannot 

 be determined. 



Whilst matching for the sake of experiment many of the 

 most distinct breeds of pigeons, it frequently appeared to 

 me that the birds, though faithful to their marriage vow, 

 retained some desire after their own kind. Accordingly I 

 asked Mr. Wicking, who has kept a larger stock of various 

 breeds together than any man in England, whether he thought 

 that they would prefer pairing with their own kind, suppos- 

 ing that there were males and females enough of each ; and 

 he without hesitation answered that he was convinced that 



« For the Norfolk sheep, see Mar- ^ White's ' Nat. Hist, of Selbourne,' 



shall's 'Rural EconDmy of Norfolk,' edited by Bennett, p. 39. With respect 



vol. ii. p. 136. See Rev. L. Landt's to the origin of the dark-coloured 



' Description of Faroe,' p. QQ. For deer, see * Souie Account of English 



the ancon sheep, see ' Phil. Transact.,' Deer Parks,' by E. P. Shirley, Esq. 

 1813, p. 90. 



