White. — On Breeding Black Sheep. 193 



flat-shaped boxes, having their lids elaborately carved, were 

 made to contain these hum, or valuables. At the feather's 

 tip there is an oval of pure white, about ^in., the main 

 feather being a jet black. This marking is no seasonal or 

 accidental occurrence, for each bird has its tail-feathers so 

 marked, whilst there is no white on any other of its feathers, 

 which are of a black colour. Truly we have much yet to 

 learn on this subject. 



Notice the colouring of the wild rabbit — reddish-grey on top 

 and white underneath its belly, as we roughly term it. Some 

 one says this is the case because the lower parts are away 

 from the stronger light of day ; but how about the tail, 

 which is generally carried so as to have the white underside 

 turned upward to view ? This exposure of the white part of 

 its scut by the rabbit so attracted the notice of that eminent 

 naturalist Charles Darwin that he speaks of the habit as 

 probably being of great service in guiding other rabbits, when 

 fleeing before a common enemy, in the right direction to 

 reach the warren or cover wmerein a chance of safety existed. 

 It would be rough on the followers if the leading rabbit was 

 so flustered by fear that he carried his "signal-flag" in the 

 direction away from home. But our question is this : Why 

 is the scut of the rabbit on the upper half a rusty-grey colour 

 and on the lower half a pure white ? What guides the. 

 colouring-matter to the one part and prevents its approach' 

 to the other part? The whole scut, when divested of its 

 hairy covering, is almost as insignificant in volume as the 

 tail-feather of a small bird. 



I have occasionally seen notice taken of locks of wool 

 from coloured or black sheep which along their length showed 

 different shades of colouring — perhaps among the darker bands 

 would come one perfectly white. Such variations might 

 originate from climatic changes or from an abundance or 

 scarcity of feed at various seasons. I have seen this com- 

 mented on in Australian newspapers. I have never seen 

 samples of this myself, but my first coloured ram, which was 

 of a rusty-buff colour, and was in consequence named . 

 " Tanner," was, when shorn, of a silvery-grey colour, 

 although he would resume his original colour when the w 7 ool 

 began to grow again. 



What is the cause of saddle or collar galls or sores, when 

 healed, having white hair growing upon them ? You will some- 

 times see a black- or chestnut-coloured horse with white 

 places where once these sores have been. I remember when 

 a child seeing a boy who, though he had reddish hair, had at 

 one side of his head quite a patch of pure-white hairs. From 

 such an occurrence we may suppose the personal name of 

 " Whitelock " originated. 

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