CROSSING AXD CROSSED BREEDS. 177 



year, and experienced breeders generally refuse to have anytliing 

 to do with either dog or bitch for this particular purpose, unless 

 they can trace the pedigree to ancestors belonging to parties icho 

 were knoicn to he tlicni--:clves careful in their selections. In most 

 cases this is all that is attempted, especially in pointers, setters, 

 spaniels, &c., but in greyhounds and foxhounds of first-class blood 

 the genealogy may generally be traced through half a dozen 

 kennels of known and established reputation ; and this same 

 attention to breed ought to prevail in all the varieties of the dog 

 whose performances are of importance, and indeed without it the 

 reproduction of a particular shape and make cannot with anything 

 like certainty be depended on. Hence the breeders of valuable 

 toy dogs, such as King Charles spaniels, Italian greyhounds, &c., 

 are as careful as they need be, having found out by experience 

 that without this attention they are constantly disappointed. 



CROSSING AND CROSSED BREEDS. 



Crossing is'practised with two distinct objects in view : — 1st, To 

 prevent degeneration in consequence of keeping to the same blood, 

 or what is called " in-and-in " breeding ; and 2udly, With the 

 view of improving particular breeds when they are deficient in 

 any desirable quality, by crossing with others which have it in 

 perfection, or often in excess. The first of these will be better 



