34 CIRCUMSTANCES FA YORABLE TO SELECTION. 



which is now set on them, after several breeds have fairly 

 been established. It is known that with pigeons many 

 slight variations now occasionally appear, but these are re- 

 jected as faults or deviations from the standard of per- 

 fection in each breed. The common goose has not given 

 rise to any marked varieties; hence the Toulouse and the 

 common breed, which dilfer only in color, that most fleet- 

 ing of characters, have lately been exhibited as distinct at 

 our poultry shows. 



These views appear to explain what has sometimes been 

 noticed, namely, that we know hardly anything about the 

 origin or history of any of our domestic breeds. But, in 

 fa^'t, a breed, like a dialect of a language, can hardly be 

 sai 1 to have a distinct origin. A man preserves and breeds 

 from an individual with some slight deviation of structure, 

 or takes more care than usual in matching his best animals, 

 and thus improves them, and the improved animals slowly 

 spread in the immediate neighborhood. But they will as 

 yet hardly have a distinct name, and from being only 

 slightly valued, their history will have been disregarded. 

 When farther improved by the same slow and gradual 

 process, they will spread more widely, and will be recog- 

 nized as something distinct and valuable, and will then 

 probably first receive a provincial name. In semi-civilized 

 countries, with little free communication, the spreading of 

 a new sub-breed would be a slow process. As soon as the 

 points of value are once acknowledged, the principle, as I 

 have called it, of unconscious selection will always tend — 

 perhaps more at one period than at another, as the breed 

 rises or falls in fashion — perhaps more in one district than 

 in another, according to the state of civilization of the in- 

 habitants — slowly to add to the characteristic features of 

 the breed, whatever thev mav be. But the chance v.-iil be 

 infinitely small of any record having been preserved of such 

 slow, varying and insensible changes. .^-^ 



CIRCUMSTAJ^CES PATORABLE TO MAI^T'S POWEE OF SELEC- 

 TION?'. 



I will now say a few words on the circumstances, favor- 

 able or the reverse, to man's power of selection. A high 

 degree of variability is obviously favorable, as freely giving 



