170 TIIICIIOLOGIA MAMMALIUM ; 



the nature of things, by adding purity to impurity to beget purity. Copper added to gold 

 never yet made pure gold ; nor will pure blood added to impure make pure blood. 



"It is a law of nature (says Agassis) that animals, as well as plants, are preceded by 

 individuals of the same species only ; and reproduction in animals is almost universally 

 accomplished by an association of individuals of two kinds, [sexes,] males and females." 

 But those who contend for the breeding we are now calling in question, act upon the 

 principle that one kind [sex] only can accomplish the reproduction. Not only so, but 

 they act upon the principle that they can select which of the two kinds [sexes] shall 

 perpetuate its like, for if it is left to nature, and she selects the impure kind, then they 

 admit that the stock is irretrievably destroyed. 



The law of species is so clearly laid down by Professor Wagner, that we cannot with- 

 stand the temptation of transcribing a part of .his essay. 



" Plants, produced from different varieties of the same species are FERTILE ; while hybrids 

 either revert to the original character, or become gradually less capable of reproduction, 

 and within a few generations become entirely extinct." 



Dr. Prichard copies this passage into his Nat. Hist, of Man, followed by the remark that 

 " the same law prevails in the animal kingdom", and Van Amringe confirms the proposition 

 in the most unqualified manner. So, you perceive, that it is the acknowledged law of 

 God, who has conferred upon man, and other animals, the power of producing others of 

 their kind, and of thus perpetuating their species, but not of forming a new race. 



" And God made the beasts of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the 

 earth after his kind, and God saw that it was good." 



The word "kind" here found repeated, corresponds with the term "species." Thus 

 it appears that God saw that it was good to create all animals in species. 



It is God's attribute to create ! man's to mar and destroy ! Such artificial varieties as 

 we have been condemning are natural deformities. Specific uniformity is beauty and 

 belongs to nature emanates from her laws, and is the work of her hands; every 

 deviation from nature's type, must necessarily be a deformity. It is one which she (if left 

 to herself) will throw off, cast from her, as unworthy of support; but if the deviation is 

 persisted in, it terminates in chaos ! 



As sometimes it is allowed to argue from extremes, let us suppose, for a moment, that 

 nature were to resign the reigns of creation to man, what a picture would soon be 

 presented Cows rioting in blood, while Lions and Tigers were grazing and chewing the 

 cud ; Fishes clambering up trees, or building and inhabiting three-story brick houses ; 

 Turkies in uniform, strutting at the head of regiments of Geese and fowls; Hogs dressed 

 in brocades and adorned with pearls and diamonds, while woman, lovely woman, is grunting 

 Italian airs, as she lies wallowing in mire ! 



the Bull exhibited themselves ; and from that moment the impairment of constitution became manifest, and the extinction 

 of the stock hastened. 



"From this remarkable example I infer that, in crosses, so long as the constitutional energy of either parent predominates 

 over that of the less vigorous parent, and manifests itself in the constitution of the progeny, propagation will continue ; but 

 the moment the constitutional energy of the predominating parent becomes reduced, to admit the alteration of the constitution 

 of the less vigorous parent, the rapid extinction of the race is indicated." 



