CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES. 277 



limbs, and greater length of the body in proportion : 

 whence this race of animals has been termed the 

 otter-breed (otherwise the Ancon sheep). The joints 

 also were longer, and the forelegs crooked. It has 

 been found advantageous to propagate this variety 

 because the animal is unable to jump over fences." * 



But although consanguineous marriages might thus 

 be used to develop desirable characters in families, 

 such breeding of genius is not to be advocated, for 

 this reason : Few families are physiologically perfect, 

 most have got some unhealthy taint, and while the 

 desired characterwas being deepened and fixed by suc- 

 cessive consanguineous unions, we would in most cases 

 be building up at the same time some pathological 

 character. This latter would increase as surely as 

 the former, and on reaching the necessarily fatal 

 degree would put an end to the family altogether. 

 For this reason, if there were no other, real or family 

 consanguinity should be avoided in marriage, as 

 should also that which I have called "social con- 

 sanguinity." 



From time immemorial it has been known that 

 " the introduction of new blood " has a beneficial effect 

 upon the family or race, and proof of the truth of this 

 old-time doctrine is to be had on every hand, both in 

 the human family and among the brute creation. The 

 most beautiful families of the south are said to be 

 those which proceed from the alliance of Germans or 



* " Kesearches into the Physical History of Mankind," by J. C. 

 Prichard, F.K.S. 



