CHAPTER XXXIII 



BREKDING FINGH-GANAR'» HYBRIDS 



Hybuids, tluit is, true hybrids bred Irom being the sensation of the next show- 

 parents belonging to two different species, season. 



are one of those perversions— we use the Before coniinencing Hybrid-ljreeding a 

 word for want of a better— of Nature's ,„an should be sure he has the rioht snit, 

 arrangementswhiehremindns. after taking of stuff to work with. And 

 one ste]), how h.tile arc ..ur dTinls in the ^he Start. j._.^^ j^.^ ^^^^,^^ pedigree must 

 dn-ection of new creations ; and well it is, be as certain as that of his hens. If he 

 no doubt, that thc>' cannot reprtKlucc camiot go back in a direct line to the 

 themselves. Touching tiiis latter point, patriarch whose patience has passed into 

 there is some contradictory evidence to be a proverb, or .satisfy himself that that 

 obtained, but in the face of the most virtue has been a fixed trait in the strain 

 trustworthy of it (and the most trustworthy from which he is- descended, he had better 

 generally has a broken link in the chain) „ot vex his soul with Ilvbrid-breeding. 

 there exists the fact that nowhere do wc The next indispensable -and it is Ihe 

 sec hvmg ].roof of the reproductive power indispensable of indispcnsal)lcs— is to pro- 

 of any true hybri<l of those enumerated eure the right class of hens, that is. 



K*ns 



m Chapter XXXII. ; and in the absence ^-Jii^h will throw Pied ..r Clear Ihbrids. 



ol this evidence wc disnuss this portion of if it be wished to breed oulv Dark birds, 



our subject in as summary a way as possibk-. „>,>/ description of hen will answer: but 



sim])Iy adding our own testimony, the the larger, more stvlish. and richer in colour 



result of extensive cxiierimcnts and observa- the hen, the more likely is it that corre- 



tion, to the mass ,,r ,„•.>(, f dciuoustratiug spending good points will be found in 111 



Its general il not absolute impracticability Hybrids: and u..te also that vellow hens 

 —most ccrtanily in the case of lli,. birds .„.<, ,„ i,,. pr.lVrrcd before buff. wli<llur 

 wc arc describing; lor alliu.ugi, lli,.y will l„,.(.,li„o. r„r Clear. Marked. ..r Dark 

 manliest the uu.st ankul ualural desire. Hybrids. If breeding Inr Dark, and your 

 the cocks ])airiiig u]) readily and going object is to i)roduce exhibition s|)ecimens, 

 Ihrough Ihe rouline of successful biv.-diiig Jt is niuch better to use Yellow (Jrecu hens 

 even to copidaliou with any lien i)ul to ,„• Hea\ il\ N'ariegaled Yellow licus. large 

 them, and Ihe hen Hybrids will build, lay. and stout ly built . of the Norwich ])crsuasiou. 

 and sil wilh eommeudable pcrs(\ crance for though many Clear hens breed Dark 

 Oil Ihcu- Iniy eggs, sometimes iiol much hybrids, there is always a tendency to throw- 

 larger than |)eas. here the matter alwa\s a ligiil fcathei- in the tail or wings, or a 

 ends in uuferl ility. The great charm ol patch of lighl the size of a i)ea on the back 

 II\ brid-brecdiug is its uncertaiul \-, and, of tlie head or to ha\e clear I liroals. w hich 

 a])arl fi-oui Ihe natural dilliculties to be al once designates the bird as Variegalcil, 

 overcome, there is always the excitement as already explained in the previous 

 atteiulant upon the chance ol' ])rodiiciug cha])tcr. About the l)cst class ol heu we 

 a Clear Hybrid, he it ^■<■llow or Hulf. .ind iia\e used iu llii- pioducliou ol' Dark 

 so drawing a rich harvest of prizes, besides Hybrids is a large \ellow tireeii Norwich 



350 



