eei:eding.] 



THE DOG, AND ITS VARIETIES; 



[beeeding. 



that the best race-horses are all cross-bred— 

 that is to say, they are the cross produce of 

 various kinds, such as the Barb, the Arab, the 

 English and Spanish horses,* the latter an un- 

 doubted cross-breed in itself, from horses in- 

 troduced into Spain by the Moors ; and, how- 

 ever good many of the pure or thorough-bred 

 }iorses— such as Barbs and Arabs— may be, 

 yet they are no match, as regards speed, with 

 the cross-breeds of our own country. They 

 may have more endurance in the country 

 where they are bred, because, being bred there, 

 they are more suited to the climate and nature 

 of the ground; and this is the case with every 

 thorough-bred animal whatsoever ; if you alter 

 the circumstances, you alter the animal to suit 

 them. The Skye terrier in England, after two 

 or three generations, is not the Skye terrier of 

 the Isle of Skye; its habits and form alter 

 greatly. I used often to speculate and wonder 

 why it should have such short and powerful 

 legs and long body ; but one day, while watch- 

 ing some puppies of pure breed at play, I saw 

 the mystery explained. There was a mound 

 of earth, standing at an angle of about 70° 

 the surface of which being loosened by frost, 

 rolled down at the slightest touch ; the puppies, 

 with their short strong legs and elongated 

 bodies, climbed up this with little difficulty, 

 and, having got to the top, turned round, and, 

 thrusting their fore feet forward, slipped down 

 on their bellies, kicking themselves along with 

 their hind feet. This operation, which they 

 repeated over and over again, seemed to afibrd 

 them infinite gratification, and the surface of 

 the hillock became grooved by their breasts 

 beiug ploughed repeatedly down it. Here was 

 a wonderful instance of the form of the animal 

 beiug adapted to the locality. The Isle of 

 Skye has a singularly rocky and uneven sur- 

 fiice, and these short-legged and long-backed 

 animals are admirably suited to it. These dogs 

 have a very thick skin, clothed with a large 

 quantity of long hair, both calculated to pro- 

 tect them against falls. 



" It should be observed, that the system of 

 breeding-in, in both wild and domestic animals, 

 is not by any means a haphazard affair, as it 

 certainly is with the human race. "With do- 

 mestic animals we always select the finest ; 



* This we have already shown in our division on the 

 horse. 



448 



and animals in a state of nature, make that 

 selection for themselves, by the constant war 

 carried on by the strong against the weak. 

 In spite of all the care that can be taken, 

 however, farmers find it absolutely necessary 

 to introduce males from other families among 

 their flocks and herds. This is a fact which 

 I think cannot be disputed ; it is one which 

 is acknowledged and acted upon by every 

 breeder of stock. Good horses, good cattle, 

 sheep, and dogs, have undoubtedly been pro- 

 duced by close breeding ; but it does not seem 

 to last many generations." 



Another says — " I think most breeders, 

 either of cattle, horses, or dogs, will agree as 

 regards the expediency of introducing fresh 

 blood into their stock. I believe the produce 

 of animals closely related is finer ; but I pre- 

 sume that is from deterioration in strength 

 and bodily power. AVhen I write 'finer,' I 

 mean smaller bone, and altogether more deli- 

 cate. It is the custom amongst many cattle- 

 breeders to change the stock bull every three 

 years at least ; and this plan is highly satis- 

 factory. Perhaps it has already been remarked 

 that, a mare having had a mule foal, and then 

 afterwards a foal bred from a horse, there is a 

 wonderful similarity in some point to the mule 

 — that is, of a ' mulish' character, often in the 

 head. I was much struck with an instance of 

 this some time ago. Sows and bitches strain 

 back in the same way." 



Upon this subject Mr. Blaine has his opinion, 

 which he has mixed up with the opinions of 

 other breeders, in a passage somewhat lengthy, 

 but, nevertheless, so valuable, that we cannot 

 resist the temptation of extracting it. " Mr. 

 Bakewell professed always to breed animals in 

 general from near relationship, and how suc- 

 cessful he was in his system is well known. 

 Mr. Meynell also bred most of his celebrated 

 hounds in-and-in., _ But on this matter Sir 

 John Sebright, in liis pamphlet on the Art oj 

 Improving the Breeds of Domestic Animals, 

 observes—' On speaking to Mr. Bakewell on 

 that subject, I found that he did not attach 

 the same meaning that I do to the term in- 

 and-in. He said that he frequently bred from 

 the father and daughter, and the mother and 

 son. This is not what I consider as breeding 

 in-and-in ; for the daughter is only half of the 

 same blood as the father, and will probably 



