(4 DNCONSCIOUS SELECTION. Ciiai-. I. 



Iliis process, continued during centuries, Avould improve and 

 modify any I)recd, in the same "way as Bakeivell, Collins, etc., 

 by this very same process, only carried on more metliodically, 

 did greatly modify, even during their own lifetimes, the forms 

 and qualities of their cattle. Slow and insensible changes of 

 this kind could never be recognized unless actual measure- 

 ments or careful drawings of the breeds in cjuestion had been 

 made long ago, which might serve for comparison. In some 

 cases, however, imchanged or but little changed individuals 

 of the same breed may be found in less civilized districts, 

 Avhere the breed has been less improved. There is reason to 

 believe that King Charles's spaniel has been unconsciously 

 modified to a large extent since the time of that monarch. 

 Some highly-competent authorities are convinced that the 

 setter is directly derived from the spaniel, and has probably 

 been slowly altered from it. It is known that the English 

 pointer has been greatly changed within the last century, and 

 in this case the change has, it is believed, been chiefly elfected 

 by crosses Avith the fox-hound ; but what concerns us is, that 

 the change has ]:)ccn elTccted unconsciously and gradually, and 

 yet so eifectually, that, thougli the old Spanish pointer cer- 

 tainly came from Spain, Mr. Boitow has not seen, as I am 

 informed by him, any native dog in Spain like our pointer. 



By a similar process of selection, and by careful training, 

 the whole body of English race-horses have come to surpass 

 in fleetness and size the parent Arab stock, so that the latter, 

 1)}' the regulations for the Goodwood Races, are favored in the 

 Aveights tlicy carry. Lord Sjicncer and others have shown 

 how the cattle of England have increased in weight and in 

 early maturity, compared with the stock formerly kept in this 

 country. By comparing the accounts given in old pigeon 

 treatises of carriers ami tumblers with these breeds as now 

 existing in Britain, India, and Persia, Ave can, I think, clearly 

 trace the stages through Avhich they have insensibly passed, 

 and come to dilfer so greatly from the rock-pigeon. 



Youatt gives an excellent illustration of the effects of a 

 course of selection, AA-hich may be considered as unconsciously 

 followed, in so far that the breeders could never have expect- 

 ed, or even have A\ished, to produce the result Avliich ensueil — 

 namely, the production of tAvo distinct strains. The two Hocks 

 of Leicester sheep ke])t by Mr. Buckley and INIr. Burgess, as 

 Mr. Youatt remarks, " have been purely bred from the original 

 stock of Mr. Bakewell for upAvard of lifty years. There is not 



