(Gallus bankiva), still to be found wild in the forests of 

 India. 



This bird is of bantam size, with the color of the brown 

 Leghorn, and with the single comb, i.e. with a high serrate 

 ridge. The various breeds of modern poultry have arisen 

 gradually by crossing and long-continued selection. The 

 fancy breeds are Bantam and game birds; the American 

 breeds — Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds 

 and Dominiques; the English breeds — Orpingtons and 

 Dorkings; the French breeds — Houdans and Crevecoeurs; 

 the Dutch breeds — Hamburgs and Red Caps; the Mediter- 

 ranean breeds — Leghorns, Minorcas and Black Spanish; 

 the Asiatic breeds — Brahmas, Cochins and Langshans. 



Goose. — Six breeds of geese are recognized; viz: 

 Toulouse (grey), Embden (white), African (gray), Chinese 

 (brown and white), Egyptian (colored), and Wild or Cana- 

 dian (grey). The two first are slightly modified descen- 

 dants of the grey lag (Anser anser L.) of Northern Asia and 

 Europe. The Chinese goose is also derived from a distinct 

 species iCygnopsis cygnoides). The African breed is be- 

 lieved to be derived from the Toulouse, Embden and 

 Chinese. The Egyptian goose comes from a different 

 species, {Chenalopex aegypiiacus). The Canadian goose 

 is the domesticated American wild goose {Branta cana- 

 densis). 



(b) — Origin of Common Cultivated Plants 



Wheat. — Wheat has been under cultivation for thou- 

 sands of years and exists now as four well defined races — 

 Common, Hard, Polish and Egyptian. No wild forms of these 

 races have been found. Besides the true wheats, two other 

 related species are in cultivation — spelt and emmer, and it is 

 probable that the true wheats have been evolved from an- 

 cestral forms much like spelt. Recently Aaronsohn, a 

 botanist of Palestine, found a wild wheat growing over 

 large areas in Palestine, approaching in its characters to 

 spelt and emmer. It cross-pollinates and is very resistant 

 to drought and disease. It is believed that this wild wheat 

 is the ancestor of our cultivated forms. 



According to Virgil (Georgics I, 197) the Romans ap- 

 plied selection to their cereals: 



"The chosen seed, through years and labor improved, 

 Was seen to run back, unless yearly 

 Man selected by hand the largest and fullest ears." 



35 



