THE PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING 37 



tion. For he bears always in mind the fact that, by the 

 law of atavism, she may throw back to the peculiarities of 

 her remote ancestors. 



If she has already been bred from, he will make 

 himself acquainted with the produce of that mating, 

 noting the results, and carefully taking into consideration 

 the wisdom or otherwise of the previous union. He will 

 further bring into his calculations the evidence of any 

 disposition towards prepotency on behalf of either parent. 



With these data at hand, he may proceed with some 

 prospect of success towards the selection of a desirable 

 mate. Bearing always in mind the axiom that like 

 produces like, he will select a dog as much like his bitch 

 as possible in general conformation and character, com- 

 bining the greatest possible number of her desirable quali- 

 fications with the fewest possible of those least desirable. 



Into the pedigree of this dog and the family history of 

 its ancestors he will go with the most careful minuteness, 

 and if he find the antecedents satisfactory and the 

 results of previous matings tending in the direction desired, 

 he will next assure himself that the dog's services have not 

 been unduly taxed, that there is no undue degree of con- 

 sanguinity, and that there is no prepotency on the dog's 

 part towards transmitting undesirable characteristics. 



By this time he will find the field narrowed down to 

 the most reasonable proportions, the animals requiring his 

 consideration being extremely few. He need not trouble 

 himself in the least that neither dog nor bitch happens to 



