XXX GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



little concerned about the nest in wliicli his hopes are at 

 present centred. 



2. Fowls. — It is generally believed that the game breed 

 of fowls has sprung from one or more varieties of the 

 jungle fowl [Gallus hanMva), and that from the game all 

 the other domestic fowls have been derived. If this is 

 the case, and if there is any truth in the reversion 

 dogma, fowls when crossed should sometimes take on the 

 characters of either the game or the wild breed. 



An unusually dark red-breasted game bantam hen was 

 crossed with an Indian-game-Dorking. The result was 

 nine chickens, six o£ which resembled Dorkings, while 

 three iu their form and colour resembled game birds. 

 Two of the three, now they are full-grown, only essen- 

 tially differ from certain varieties of the wild fowl in 

 having a small double instead of a small single comb — 

 the double comb having been inherited from the cross- 

 bred game-Dorking cock. These game-like, cross-bred 

 birds are especially interesting because they are very shy, 

 and fly about like wild birds. There has thus, in this 

 case, been a marked reversion, not only in form and 

 colour, but also in disposition and habits — a not uncommon 

 thing in cross-bred animals. 



3. Dogs, — All the breeds of dogs are probably gene- 

 tically related to the wolf, yet I never heard of a cross 

 being obtained that as closely resembled the wolf as cross- 

 bred pigeons occasionally resemble the wild rock-pigeon. 

 This is perhaps partly because the Avolf is not the only 

 wild ancestor, and partly owing to the majority of the 

 most familiar breeds being inbred. All that can be ex- 

 pected of dogs is that they should revert to one of the 

 less i-emote ancestors, just as the offspring of the blue 

 fantails reverted to their comparatively recent white 

 ancestor. When colour alone is considered, the Dal- 

 matian breed may, I think, be looked upon as the most 

 highly specialised ; to wolf-like dogs it stands in the 

 same relation as the zebra does to dun-coloured horses. 

 Dalmatians have probably sprung from pointer-like pro- 

 genitors, and being comparatively uncommon they are 



