BREEDING FOR POINTS. 137 



or less overcome, as above explained. Beyond that, we 

 have spoken above of faults apparently overcome, cropping 

 up again under "provocation." Mr. Darwin has clearly 

 shown by a large amount of evidence, that the mere fact of 

 crossing between two entirely alien families, has a peculiar 

 tendency of itself to produce reversion to such long-lost 

 characters. Thus it is that when two different breeds of 

 poultry are crossed, there is always more or less production 

 of that black-red plumage which it is believed was the colour 

 of the wild jungle race of fowls ; or, when two non-sitting 

 breeds are crossed, there is a considerable recurrence in the 

 progeny of the long-lost instinct of incubation. In less 

 degree the same applies to unrelated families of the same 

 breed, which have tendencies to different defects, or even 

 which have gone through a different course of breeding in 

 regard to the points bred for. Let us suppose two strains 

 of brown Leghorns, bred with equal care, but of which one 

 had been (in the manner presently described) bred first for 

 plumage, and in second place for head and comb ; while the 

 other had been bred first for head and comb and secondly 

 for plumage. The result of crossing the two, might too 

 probably be many chickens which "threw back" to the 

 earlier defects of both / 



Hence it is important that a cross should not only be 

 good in itself, but the product of a similar course of selection 

 to the yard crossed. Even then we should avoid too sudden 

 a change of blood, which still brings with it more or less 

 reversion to we do not know what. If a bird can be got 

 from a yard with some of the same blood as our own 

 generally possible that will be best. If not, let a male 

 bird be secured and paired first with one good hen, and the 

 best produce from this mating used for the more general 

 cross. By this means much risk is avoided, and much 

 time may be saved ; since it may take years to get rid 



