ON BREEDING FOWLS. 197 



instance, the Anglo-Saxons, the children do not, necessarily, 

 resemble their parents ; and children of the same parentage 

 differ widely from one another. Frequently, too, they have 

 no resemblance to their parents. It may be observed, also, 

 that when the race is pure, there is less danger from intermar- 

 riage than when the race is mixed. 



The mixture of races, where the consanguinity is remote, is 

 of decided benefit, producing greater intellectuality, energy, 

 enterprise, and vigor, and improves the general appearance. 

 This is peculiarly observable \vhen a race of extraordinary 

 mental power is mixed with a race of surpassing animal 

 vigor. 



These remarks apply to fowls. When the blood is unmixed, 

 as with the Guelderlands and some others, the offspring, in all 

 respects, resemble their parents, in plumage, general outline, 

 form, habits, etc. They look almost identically the same in 

 this case. But when the blood is mixed, as with the Cochin 

 Chinas and many others, the plumage will vary widely, or 

 slightly, according to circumstances, though many or most of 

 the general characteristics may remain the same. The close 

 breeding, to which many resort to produce uniformity, gener- 

 ally results in an absolute deterioration of the race in important 

 respects. 



There are instances in which the laws of nature seem to 

 require "in and in" breeding, as with the race of domestic 

 pigeons. As a general thing, the female lays two eggs at a 

 litter, and from these two eggs a male and female is almost 

 universally produced. They again, when of mature age, breed 

 " in and in," and so they continue to do for successive genera- 

 tions, for hundreds of years, without the least deterioration ; 

 from the fact that the laws of procreation, as applicable to them, 

 require it as the rule, the converse being the exception ; and 

 from the fact that they are perfect of their kind, or of pure 

 17* 



