Seasonal Variations in British Animals. 49 



those individuals chiefly propagating, whose organisation is 

 the most perfect, and which, consequently, by their superior 

 energy and physical powers, are enabled to vanquish and 

 drive away the weak and sickly, so in the human race dege- 

 neration is, in great measure, prevented by the innate and 

 natural preference which is always given to the most comely ; 

 and this is the principal and main reason why the varieties 

 which are produced in savage tribes, must generally either 

 become extinct in the first generation, or, if propagated, 

 would most likely be left to themselve, and so become the 

 origin of a new race ; and in this we see an adequate cause 

 for the obscurity in which the origin of different races is 

 involved. In a civilised state of society there are other 

 inducements, besides personal attractions, and a new variety 

 in this case, unless very outre indeed, would be gradually 

 merged, and in a few generations would disappear entirely 

 by intermixture with the common race. The inferior animals 

 appear not to have the slightest predilection for superior per- 

 sonal appearance ; the most dissimilar varieties of the same 

 species mix as freely and readily together as the most typical 

 individuals ; the most powerful alone becomes the favourite. 

 Instances of this are not rare in the breeds of dogs. 



The above is confessedly a hasty and imperfect sketch, a 

 mere approximation towards an apt classification of "va- 

 rieties ; " but if it chance to meet the eye, and be fortunate 

 enough to engage the attention, of any experienced natu- 

 ralist, who shall think it worth his while to follow up the 

 subject, and produce a better arrangement of these diversi- 

 ties, my object in indicting the present article will be amply 

 recompensed. 



Here, however, I may observe, that the classification I 

 have proposed for specific deviations in the animal creation, 

 is equally applicable to those of the vegetable. The " va- 

 rieties" in both are strictly analogous. 



I come now to the second division of my subject, which is 

 to point out 



Some Periodical and other Changes of Appearance, which 

 naturally take place in various British Animals, and which do 

 not constitute Varieties. — Among our native Mammalia, I 

 know of three principal modes whereby a change of colour 

 is brought about; namely, an actual shedding of the coat; a 

 partial shedding of the coat ; and an actual change of colour 

 in the coat itself. 



I. As an example of change of appearance produced by 

 actual shedding of the coat, may be instanced the fallow deer 



Vol. VIII. — No. 45. e 



