White. — On Breeding Black Sheep. 195 



The European grey - linnet becomes much brighter in 

 colours in early spring, but is said not to do so when caged. 



Take special notice and you will see no change of colour 

 during any season among domestic ducks, the drakes alone 

 having the possibility of brighter colours. The drakes can be 

 known at any season by the green colour of their beaks. 



No doubt learned men have already studied and come to a 

 reasonable conclusion on this matter of colour-change, but, if 

 so, I have never had the luck to read their writings in ex- 

 planation. Therefore, if I am behind the age in expressing 

 wonder and surprise that these colour-changes are possible, I 

 beg to be excused. 



In ducks we have two pure breeds which, from the effect 

 of melanism, are lustrous-black in colour. The larger of 

 these is very similar in form and size to the ordinary domestic 

 duck, and, if I remember rightly, is named the " Cuyagua " ; 

 the second is of smaller size and capable of flight, and is termed 

 "Buenos Ayres," or "East Indian." Both breeds possess 

 the curled tail-feathers as in the mallard, which is a sufficient 

 indication of their being a domestic form or offshoot of Anas 

 boschos, the European or northern wild duck. 



Before entering upon an account of my personal experience 

 in breeding a flock of black sheep I will make mention of 

 information obtained elsewhere. Mr. Thomas McWhirter, 

 the manager of Morven Hills Station, near Tarras, Otago, in 

 answer to my inquiries, says that about six years ago there 

 were about a hundred black sheep on the station, and he 

 decided to separate them from the white sheep of the flocks 

 and attempt to raise a black flock from them, and that now 

 (1899) they number about a thousand head of black merinos. 

 The first year there w 7 ere a few white lambs born, but this 

 was probably caused by a white ram accidentally straying 

 into the flock. Some of the ewes were spotted, in which case 

 they invariably had spotted lambs. Many of the lambs have 

 a small white patch on the forehead and also have the tail 

 white, the body being of a whole black colour. After the first 

 year no white lambs were produced, and, although many ex- 

 perienced sheep-farmers scoffed at the idea of a black ewe 

 having a black lamb, the result proved that, provided both 

 parents were coloured, their progeny would be coloured 

 also. Mr. McWhirter, in answer to my question, " Have any 

 of the black merinos a small oval white spot below either eye, 

 as I find to be mostly present in the Lincoln-merino cross? " 

 replied that none of his sheep had these spots on the face. 

 This is worthy of notice. The success of this flock is amply 

 proved by the returns. Last season Mr. McWhirter had ten 

 bales of black wool, which, as it was a larger line than usual, 

 -commanded some little attention, and the price realised was 



