Limits of Hybridisation 



cynthia and B. arrindia are fertile for eight 

 generations when bred inter se. 



LIMITS TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF HYBRIDISATION 

 Hybrids can apparently only be produced 

 between species of the same natural family. 

 The stories of cat-rabbits, deer-ponies, fowl- 

 ducks, and similar distant crosses invariably 

 break down on close examination. A belief in 

 such remote crosses characterized the ancient 

 "bestiaries," and still lingers, as witness the 

 falsely-reputed crosses alluded to above. 



This belief has no doubt arisen from the fact 

 that the domestic breeds of dogs, fowls, etc., 

 are popularly confounded with truly distinct 

 species. Mongrels are well known to be readily 

 produced, and hence the notion arises that 

 hybrids between the most widely - separated 

 species are possible. 



In practice, the most remote cross of which 

 authenticated specimens exist is that between 

 the red grouse and the domestic fowl (bantam 

 cock). It is true that the grouse are commonly 

 ranked by ornithologists as a family distinct 

 (Tetraonidae] from that of the pheasants and 

 partridges (Phasianidae), to which the fowl 

 belongs ; but the relationship is admittedly very 

 close, and we doubt if general zoologists would 

 countenance the maintenance of the families as 

 distinct. Ornithologists are notoriously apt to 



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