GEKEKAL BKEEDING. 279 



that of Selim or Pantaloon has nniformly succeeded — or " hit," 

 as it is termed — and the example is so remarkable, that it leads 

 one to investigate the pedigrees of all three, when it turns out 

 that the first-named is composed of one-eighth Selim -already ; 

 and that in putting him to a descendant of that horse, or his 

 brother Castrel, the sire of Pantaloon, it is only reuniting the 

 l^reviouslj separated particles derived from them. This is a 

 fact which will serve to form the basis of an argument, and if 

 supported by similar facts, it would show that in-and-in-breed- 

 ing to some extent is not prejudicial ; but, on the other hand, 

 that it is in all probability absolutely advantageous. At the 

 same time it cannot be disputed that the Waxy and Buzzard 

 blood has almost always hit in its first union, as shown in para- 

 graph 257, and elsewhere ; and having succeeded once it alwaj^s 

 seems to hit again still more successfully ; and the only question 

 is how far the in-breeding might be carried without deteriora- 

 tion. Again, reverting to the descendants of Whiskey, who 

 was a grandson of Eclipse, we find them hitting once with the 

 Orville blood in producing Emiliiis and Muley ; and again, a 

 second time, with Priam as a result, he being also out of a 

 daughter of Whiskey. Liverpool, sire of Lanercost, was also a 

 grandson of Whiskey on his dam's side, his sire. Tramp, taking 

 a direct descent from Eclipse in the same number of removes 

 as Whiskey. But it is only by further investigation, and ascer- 

 taining how far these facts occur in a similar way throughout a 

 series of cases, that any conclusion can be formed ; and such a 

 series has been given under the section devoted to an examina- 

 tion of the propriety of in-breeding. By universal consent, 

 however, it is now admitted, and common sense would always 

 lead one to believe, that where a series of winnci's have ap- 

 peared of any particular strain, it is likely that others will fol- 

 low ; and hence it has been the rule to select horses of families 

 which have been successful on the turf, in the particular line 

 which it is still further to succeed in. Thus, if a fleet racer is 

 intended to be bred, the breeder would select blood which has 

 produced winners of the Derb}^ Oaks, or St. Leger, or, if possi- 

 ble, all three. If a steeplechaser is the object of ambition, 

 then the breeder would, as a matter of course, look for the sires 

 and dams of such animals as Lottery, Gaylad, Brunette, &c., 



