SECRETARY'S REPORT. I77 



and the woollj sheep, seems a notable instance against his theory : 

 for they not only have become a distinct and self supporting breed, 

 but have been for years improving in form and constitution ; an 

 improvement effected within the breed itself, by abstaining from 

 intermixture with or draft from what he calls the pure species. 

 And according to Lyell, (Prin. of Geology, p. 579,) "the celebra- - 

 ted John Hunter has observed, that the true distinction of species 

 must ultimately be gathered from their incapacity of propagating 

 with each other and producing offspring capable of again continuing 

 itself" And Lyell from many eminent authorities and much close 

 reasoning, draws several "inferences in regard to the reality of spe- 

 cies in nature ;" the following being a part of the fifth : (Ibid p. 

 589.) " It does not appear that true hybrid races have ever been 

 perpetuated for several generations, even by the assistance of man ; 

 for the cases usually cited relate to the crossing of mules with indi- 

 viduals of pure species, and not to the intermixture of hybrid with 

 hybrid." 



Again Dr. Browne argues against crossing together different vari- 

 eties of the same species, and in this connection he asserts, "the 

 Arabian is the finest race (of horses) in the world ; in his own coun- 

 try no one ever thinks of crossing the breed ; on the contrary, the 

 pure blood has descended, uncontaminated, through successive 

 generations ; but in this and other countries, where the practice of 

 amalgamation with other races prevails, they have endless varieties 

 of this noble animal, but no pure Arabian race." 



Would it not be pertinent and in accordance with fact, if we should 

 assert that we have none of the pure Arabian race merely because 

 our climate changes the animal here into an Americo Arabian, 

 without the capacity, and every way unfit for the requirements of 

 our people ? But has not each section of our country a breed of 

 horses admirably suited to the wants of the respective localities, pro- 

 duced by this very amalgamation of races and breeds? From a 

 conscientious belief in its reliability, this is assumed as fact ; and 

 it is proposed to apply the same process to sheep breeding in Maine, 

 with a thorough persuasion of its ultimate success. It cannot be 

 reasonably doubted, that we may obtain equally favorable results 

 from the various breeds of sheep prevailing in different parts of the 

 State, by selecting such as appear to thrive best in each section, 

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