Hl'.REDlTY AND MENDEL's LAW 183 



first generation side by side — neither dominating. Thus, wlien 

 the white Cochin is crossed by the red-black Tosa, the first 

 hybrids are barred with white ; in the next generation, to 

 be sure, some white birds are produced, but these frequently 

 show some yellow or buff; also red and black birds, but these 

 have often a washed-out color. In this case there is no domi- 

 nance and the germ-cells are incompletely pure. This combina- 

 tion is very common. 



Another case is that sometimes seen when a black and white 

 are crossed. Instead of white dominating (as is usually the 

 case) the two colors seem to have equal potency and a fine 

 mosaic occurs — the blue. This is almost a blend. When 

 such blues are mated together one gets some blues, but also 

 some black and white mottled in all proportions. Not only is 

 potency of the two characteristics equal in the first generation, 

 but the characteristics appear in all of the germ-cells and reap- 

 pear in the second hybrid generation in the most varied com- 

 binations. 



Again, a peculiar case of inheritance was revealed by some 

 experiments made by Darwin. He crossed a White-faced Black 

 Spanish with a pure white silky, which (except in plumage) is a 

 melanic sport. The chicks were blacker than any Spanish 

 chicks, or any other that I know. They continued black until 

 as they grew to maturity the males gained red-laced hackles, 

 saddles, and back-feathers and a broad red wing bar, like the 

 jungle cock. For Darwin, this was a case of reversion^ due to 

 hybridization. But that it was not the consequence of hybridi- 

 zation fcr se^ but of this specific cross, is evident from the fact 

 that you do not get a similar hybrid except by crossing a black 

 bird either with a silky, or a pure buff — both of which are de- 

 void of black pigment. Moreover, the result differs according 

 to the black races crossed. If a black Minorca is used, which 

 represents the immediate ancestor of the Spanish, the red in the 

 progeny is much reduced. If a black Game is used, which rep- 

 resents a comparatively recent blackening of a red and black 

 bird, the progeny have much more red. 



Still another case. Some fowl have five toes instead of the 

 normal four. When a four- and a five-toed fowl are crossed 



