228 AMERICAN CATTLE. 



of them by a Southdown, i.e., a dun-faced and polled ram. The 

 lambs thus begotten were crosses. 



"In the autumn of 1845, the same ewes were tupped by a 

 very fine pure black-faced horned ram, i.e., one of exactly the 

 same breed as the ewes themselves. To Mr. Shaw's astonish- 

 ment, the lambs were all, without exception, polled and broivnish 

 in the face, instead of being black-faced and horned. 



"In autumn, 1846, the ewes were again served with another 

 very superior ram of their own breed. Again the lambs were 

 mongrels. They did not, indeed, exhibit so much of the char- 

 acters of the Leicester and Southdown breads, as did the lambs 

 of the previous year ; but two of them were polled, and one dun- 

 faced, with very small horns, while the other three were white- 

 faced, with small round horns only. Mr. Shaw at length parted 

 with those fine ewes, without obtaining from them one pure bred 

 lamb. 



"To the foregoing examples, I may add two important general 

 statements on the subject, made by Mr. M'Gillavray and by Pro- 

 fessor Low. The former, after referring to several of the cases 

 just given, adds: ' Many more instances might be cited, did time 

 permit. Among cattle and horses they are of every day occur- 

 rence : ' and the latter, after giving the particulars already quoted 

 respecting the horse, observes, 'many analogous examples could 

 be given in the case of other animals.' And I may remark, gen- 

 erally, that since my attention was first particularly drawn to the 

 subject, inquiry made in various quarters has satisfied me of the 

 accuracy of these general allegations. I have not, it is true, 

 seen any examples of the sort; but opportunities for doing so 

 have not lain in my way. I have learnt, however, that many 

 among the Agricultural body in this district are familiar with the 

 thing to a degree that is annoying to them ; finding that, after 

 breeding crosses, their cows, though served with bulls of the 

 same breed, yield crosses still, or rather mongrels. 



