THE FOXHOUND. 203 



best bitch, without much regard to the question of kinship; 

 for Hounds bear close inbreeding well if they are rationally 

 managed in other respects, as they are naturally preemi- 

 nently hardy and free from constitutional diseases of a her- 

 editary nature. 



A strong prejudice against what is called incestuous 

 matings is deeply implanted in the human mind, but it is 

 due rather to social considerations than to physiological 

 data notwithstanding that persons most ignorant of 

 physiology clinch their arguments by the pet phrase 

 ''physiology teaches" so and so. It is safe to say physi- 

 ology teaches nothing of the kind; nor do such writers 

 know anything whatever about what physiology teaches. 

 The natural laws of hereditary transmission act upon the 

 offspring in one and the same way whether the parents be 

 near of kin or strangers in blood. . The kinship or non- 

 kinship of parents, near or remote, does not in any respect 

 or in any degree modify the laws of heredity affecting their 

 progeny. 



It is curious how hard people find it to get over precon- 

 ceived notions. My father repeatedly bred daughter to 

 sire, and produced in that way some of the finest Hounds he 

 ever had in his kennel. I remember very well when, on 

 one occasion, a friend of his, who had repeatedly bred from 

 full brother and sister, said to him that he could not help 

 thinking that to breed from daughter and sire was a little 

 too close. My father said : 



" Why, man', you breed closer than that." 



"Oh, no," said he; "I never bred closer than brother and 

 sister, and that don't hurt a bit." 



"Well," said my father, "the blood of brother and 

 sister is, as I understand the matter, identical, whereas the 

 daughter has only half the blood of the sire and half of the 

 dam; and I think you breed twice as close as I do." This 

 little analysis seemed to strike the man dumb. 



" It certainly does seem that way," said he, "when you 

 come to look at it; but it always seemed to me it was a heap 

 closer to breed a daughter to her own father." 



