84 



September 27, 1836. 

 Richard Owen, Esq., in the Chair. 



A communication from Edward FuUer, Esq., of Carleton Hali, 

 near Saxmundham, "vvas read, -vvhich stated that his gamekeeper had 

 succeeded lašt year in rearing two birds from a bam-door Hen, Tiav- 

 ing a cross from the Pheasant, and a Pheasant cock ; that the birds 

 partook equally of the two species in their habits, manners, and ap- 

 pearance ; and concluded by presenting them to the Society. 



The gamekeeper of Edward FuUer, Esq., in a short note which 

 accompanied the birds, stated that he had bred them, and they were 

 three-quarter-bred Pheasants. 



The living birds were exhibited at the Meeting, as ■vvas also a 

 living hybrid, between the Pheasant and common Fowl, which wa3 

 one of Severai that had been some years in the Menagerie of the 

 Society. 



Severai specimens of hybrids, from the preserved collection in the 

 Museum of the Society, -^vere placed on the table for exhibition and 

 comparison. These had been bred between the Pheasant and common 

 Fotvl, the common Pheasant and the silver Pheasant, and the common 

 Pheasant with the gold Pheasant. 



The specimens of the three-quarter-bred Pheasants \vere consider- 

 ed interesting, the opinion of the older physiologists having been 

 that animals bred betvveen parents of two distinct species were un- 

 productive. 



Mr. Yarrell stated, that although generally such an opinion pre- 

 vailed there were still exceptions. The Proceedings of the Society 

 for 1831 exhibited one already recorded at page 158. This com- 

 munication Tvas received from the Honourable T\viselton Fiennes, 

 who having succeeded in rearing a brood between the common Duck 

 and the Pintail, found in the folio wing season these hybrids \vere 

 productive. Other instances are also on record vvhich were adverted 

 to. Mr. Yarrell stated, that he had had opportunities of examining 

 the bodies of hybrids, both of Gallinaceous Birds and Ducks, and 

 found that the sexual organs of the malęs were of large size, those 

 of the females deficient in size, and not Avithout some appearance of 

 imperfection. The crosses produced by the breeders of Canaries 

 ■were mentioned, and the objects of obtaining them explained. Mr. 

 Yarrell expressed his belief that the attempt to breed from a hybrid 

 vvas most likely to be successful when a malė hybrid vvas put to a 

 female of a true species. 



Mr. Vigors said this was the first instance that had come to his 

 kno\vledge of a female hybrid being productive, and he had hitherto 



