Chap. XX. UNCONSCIOUS SELECTION. 199 



(except in colour), yet the individual character and wishes of 

 each breeder become impressed on his cattle, so that different 

 herds differ slightly from one another.'^'^ The Hereford cattle 

 assumed their present well-marked character soon after the 

 year 1769, through careful selection by Mr. Tomkins,'^^ and 

 the breed has lately split into two strains — one strain having 

 a white face, and differing slightly, it is said,'^^ in some other 

 points : but there is no reason to believe that this split, the 

 origin of which is unknown, was intentionally made ; it 

 may with much more probability be attributed to different 

 breeders having attended to different points. So again, the 

 Berkshire breed of swine in the year 1810 had greatly changed 

 from what it was in 1780; and since 1810 at least two 

 distinct sub-breeds have arisen bearing the same name.^® 

 Keeping in mind how rapidly all animals increase, and that 

 some must be annually slaughtered and some saved for 

 breeding, then, if the same breeder during a long course of 

 years deliberately settles which shall be saved and which 

 shall be killed, it is almost inevitable that his individual 

 turn of mind will influence the character of his stock, 

 without his having had any intention to modify the breed. 



Unconscious selection in the strictest sense of the word, 

 that is, the saving of the more useful animals and the neglect 

 or slaughter of the less useful, without any thought of the 

 future, must have gone on occasionally from the remotest 

 period and amongst the most barbarous nations. Savages 

 often suffer from famines, and are sometimes expelled by war 

 from their own homes. In such cases it can hardly be doubted 

 that they would save their most useful animals. When the 

 Fuegians are hard pressed by want, they kill their old women 

 for food rather than their dogs ; for, as we were assured, 

 " old women no use — dogs catch otters." The same sound 

 sense would surely lead them to preserve their more useful 

 dogs when still harder pressed by famine. Mr. Oldfield, who 

 has seen so much of the aborigines of Australia, informs me 



" 'Ueber Shcrthoru Rindvieh,' '^ 'Quarterly Review,' 1849, p. 



1857, s. 51, 392. 



'* Low, ' Domestkated Animals,' ** H. von Nathusins, 'Vorstudien 



1845, p. 363. .... Schweineschjidel,' 1864, s. 140. 



