Chap. XX. METHODICAL SELECTION. 179 



" profitable portion of the hog, and we therefore require no 

 " more of it than is absolutely necessary for the support of 

 " the rest." Let any one compare the wild-boar with any 

 improved breed, and he will see how effectually the legs have 

 been shortened. 



Few persons, except breeders, are aware of the systematic 

 care taken in selecting animals, and of the necessity of having 

 a clear and almost prophetic vision into futurity. Lord 

 Spencer's skill and judgment were well known ; and he 

 writes, 5 " It is therefore very desirable, before any man com- 

 " mences to breed either cattle or sheep, that he should make 

 " up his mind to the shape and qualities he wishes to obtain, 

 " and steadily pursue this object." Lord Somerville, in 

 speaking of the marvellous improvement of the New Leicester 

 sheep, effected by Bakewell and his successors, says, " It 

 would seem as if they had first drawn a perfect form, and 

 then given it life." Youatt 6 urges the necessity of annually 

 drafting each flock, as many animals will certainly degenerate 

 " from the standard of excellence which the breeder has 

 established in his own mind." Even with a bird of such 

 little importance as the canary, long ago (1780-1790) rules 

 were established, and a standard of perfection was fixed ac- 

 cording to which the London fanciers tried to breed the 

 several sub- varieties. 7 A great winner of prizes at the Pigeon - 

 shows, 8 in describing the short-faced Almond Tumbler, says, 

 " There are many first-rate fanciers who are particularly 

 " partial to what is called the goldfinch-beak, which is very 

 " beautiful ; others say, take a full-size round cherry then 

 " take a barleycorn, and judiciously placing and thrusting it 

 " into the cherry, form as it were your beak ; and that is not 

 " all, for it will form a good head and beak, provided, as I 

 " said before, it is judiciously done ; others take an oat ; but 

 " as I think the goldfinch-beak the handsomest, I would advise 

 " the inexperienced fancier to get the head of a goldfinch, and 

 "keep it by him for his observation." Wonderfully different 



5 • Journal of Royal Agricult. Soc.,' vol. viii., 1835, p. 618. 

 vol. i. p. 24. * ' A treatise on the Art of Breed- 



• ' On Sheep,' pp. 520, 319. ing the Almond Tumbler,' 1851, p. 9 

 7 Loudon's ' Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' 



N 2 



