Dr Moi*ton on Hybrid Animals and Plants, 2^^ 



wild species have commingled to form the numerous culti- 

 vated races. * 



Ovine and Caprine Hybrids. — The ancients, more especially 

 the Romans, regarded all the varieties of domestic sheep as 

 a mixed offspring of the sheep and goat {Capra hircus). The 

 possibility of this union was proved by Prof. Pallas, by per- 

 sonal observation during his travels in Russia ; and although 

 a doubt has been here and there expressed with respect to 

 it, the fact is now conceded by all naturalists, from abundant 

 evidence. Some new and very interesting information has 

 lately been aiForded us from another quarter. " For a very 

 long time," observes M. Chevreul, " an extensive commerce 

 has been carried on in Chili, in the skins of sheep with rather 

 coarse wool, derived from a cross between the male of the 

 common goat and the ewe, which was obtained as follows : a 

 single goat was placed with six ewes, and male hybrids were 

 obtained with a hairy fleece, which was little esteemed for 

 the particular purpose for which it was designed. But by 

 coupling these male hybrids with ewes, the latter were fruit- 

 ful, and their offspring bore a fine soft fleece, which is highly 

 valued in the manufacture of shabraques^ called also pellians, 

 in Chili. After several generations, the hair becomes coarse 

 and hard, when it becomes necessary to recur to a male hy- 

 brid of a former generation, in order to obtain the requisite 

 cross for the production of the perfect fleece, t 



I have only to add, on the same authority, that Prof. Flou- 

 rens, of Paris, has recently obtained a cross between the 

 wild ram J {Ovis musmon?) and the female of the common goat. 



Cervine and Ovine Hybrid. — Hellenius, quoted by Rudol- 

 phi, mentions the very interesting case of a Sardinian doe 

 that refused the goat, but was crossed by a ram. The young 

 had the figure of the father, but in colour more resembled the 

 mother. These hybrids were again crossed by a Finland 

 ram, and after a few generations assumed the characters of 

 the Finland breed of sheep. § 



* Hamilton Smith, /Equidaj, p. 70. — Blyth, Proceedings of the Zoolog. See. 

 of London, 1840. t Journal des Savants, Juin 1846, p. 357. 



X Moufflon. The particular species is not designated. 

 § Rudolphi, Beytrage zur Anthropologic, &c., p. 165. 



