150 THE HOKSE BOOK. 



ivation may therefore be passed up without 

 farther consideration. In any case it is implied 

 in the following which is presented as the cor- 

 rect definition of the term under consideration: 



A breed is a group of animals possessing 

 homologus character by inheritance so firmly 

 fixed as to be transmitted with reasonable cer- 

 tainty under suitable environment. 



Place fifty well bred Jersey cows in a row, 

 fifty West Highland bulls, fifty Clydesdale 

 horses and fifty Angus bulls. Now screen from 

 view all of the Jersey cows and the Highland 

 bulls but their heads; all of the Clydesdale 

 horses but their legs from the knees and hocks 

 downward, and all of the Angus bulls but the 

 hind quarters, and a correct idea of homologous 

 character may be obtained. It is the sum of 

 these homologues in each instance that goes to 

 make up what we briefly refer to nowadays as 

 breed type or character. In just so far as this 

 test is met by the entire membership of a breed 

 it may be counted on to reproduce with reason- 

 able certainty the homologous character which 

 it possesses. Vice versa in just so far as a breed 

 will not meet this test it will fail. In following 

 out this thought we may readily learn how in- 

 definite have been the aims of many breeders — 

 even to the inevitable conclusion that in some 

 of our most celebrated breeds, taken in a mass, 

 real homologous character is not present. 



It must be understood that reference is made 



