SECRETARY'S REPORT. 135 



hybrid ; that is, what we call hybrids, or what we call mules ; 

 and these hybrids or mules always propagate individuals of two 

 different kinds, and their fecundity is limited ; sometimes so 

 extremely limited that even the first generation is sterile ; 

 sometimes partially fertile by a return to the parent stock. 

 Between themselves, the individuals born from two different 

 species are hardly ever fertile ad infinitum. I will quote an 

 example to show what I mean more distinctly. The horse is 

 one species, the ass is another species. Horse with horse pro- 

 duces horse, ad infinitum ; ass with ass produces ass, ad infinitum. 

 But horse with ass produces a mule, or a hybrid. Now, that 

 hybrid always has part of the character of one parent and part 

 of the character of the other parent. It is not a representative 

 of any species, but it is a half-breed. And here the English 

 names designate truly the characteristic of that animal. It is a 

 " half-breed," or a " hybrid," or a '• mule." Those three names 

 apply to that kind of animal, and they should never be used to 

 designate any other. The word " hybrid," the word " mule," 

 and the word "half-breed," should never be used except to 

 designate the progeny between two different species. And that 

 progeny will differ according to the character of the father or 

 the mother. The offspring of the male horse with the female 

 ass is not the same as the offspring of the male ass and the 

 female horse, by any means. What is commonly called a mule 

 is the offspring of the jack with the mare. We do not raise the 

 offspring of the horse with the ass ; but in France they are 

 sometimes raised, and are known there as bardots. Now, the 

 bardot is a very different animal from our mule ; it has a greater 

 resemblance to a horse, only it is a small-sized donkey. The 

 form of the head, the hoof, and the tail are those of the horse. 

 Now, the reverse is the case with our mule, which has the size 

 of the mare ; but the 'form of the head, tail, and hoof, of the 

 donkey. May we not, by these crosses, ascertain, in a measure, 

 what kind of character the male will transmit to his progeny, 

 and what kind of character the female will transmit to her 

 progeny ? I suppose that a thorough analysis of the difference 

 which exists between the bardot and the mule, as compared 

 with the horse and the ass, would give us a large number of 

 very valuable hints as to what we may expect in the transmis- 

 sion of the qualities of the male and of the female to the 



