70 Permanence and Evolution. 



In crossing different breeds of different colours, 

 Darwin found a tendency show itself to assume 

 " black-red " plumage, so that, as in the analo- 

 gous case of pigeons, either the sport arose 

 spontaneously, or there had been at some 

 time a cross with the black-red game, which, 

 considering its beauty, strength, and general 

 "game" qualities, is by no means unlikely, 

 We know that strains of fowl intended for 

 exhibition are frequently doctored in many 

 ways, by surreptitious crossing. The same may 

 be conjectured when black-red plumage appears 

 in so-called pure bred Cochins, Dorkings, Ham- 

 burghs, etc. ; as to the gold-spangled Hamburghs, 

 which have so strong a tendency to run black- 

 red ; some of my readers may, perhaps, remember 

 a controversy, famous some time ago in the 

 poultry world, in which it was maintained, on 

 one side, that all sickle-tailed, gold-spangled 

 Hamburghs were crossed with game. What 

 is said about individual variability, i.e., differences 



