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THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



predicated are pretty well defined; but the 

 philosophy of these principles is among the un- 

 fathomable mysteries of nature. In this mat- 

 ter, as in numerous other ones, human science 

 may advance to certain points; the facts dis- 

 covered in the progress may be as prominent and 

 incontrovertible as mathematical theorems, and 

 .is solid as the foundations of a gigantic mount- 

 ain, or as transparent as the clear light of noon; 

 l>ut beyond these points human science stands 

 appalled not a step onward can be made, not 

 a gleam of light dawns upon the untrodden 

 path ; in the prospective all is dark and incom- 

 prehensible.. 



Every national improvement in the breed 

 of animals has originated in a certain degree 

 of mania. " If such amateurs had not lavished 

 their money upon the turf," says an English 

 writer, "we should never have had such good 

 horses commonly available ; and the same may 

 be said of Short Horned cattle, South Down 

 sheep, and priceless pigs." We most cordially 

 nssent to this, and gladly give our opinion that 

 without "this promise of general usefulness" 

 neither the exhibitions themselves would have 

 received so large a share of public support, nor 

 would their promoters have been so anxious for 

 their success. Individuals there doubtless are 

 for whcto the Fantail-pigeon and the Lop-eared 

 rabbit possess charms beyond the plumpest Dor- 

 king or the tenderest Poland ; but how few are 

 they in number when compared to those who 

 e-ncouraged these exhibitions simply from a 

 desire that "twelve months hence eggs should 

 prove better, chickens cheaper, and all poultry 

 more abundant than ever." 



All this is literally and emphatically true in 

 relation to animal and vegetable physiology. 

 We know that the different races of men, ac- 

 cording to commonly-received theories, have 

 been occasioned, in a long succession of genera- 

 tions, by meteorological influences. But who can 

 tell why these influences in the human species 

 should have led to the difference in organization, 

 complexion, and mental endowment obviously 

 characterized in the native American, the Asiat- 

 ic, the African, the Malay, and European races ? 

 None can tell. Conjectures may be raised ; 

 hypothetical explanations may be propounded; 



but the real truth lies deeply hidden from hu- 

 man investigation. And who can tell, in the 

 feathered tribes, why there is such an infinite 

 diversity in the plumage for instance? We 

 mean not different species, but simply different 

 varieties in single species. Why is there such 

 an assemblage of varying hues in the silky ves- 

 ture of the proud and exulting peacock, of the 

 delicate and matchless bird of paradise, or even 

 the beautiful little humming-bird, which seeks 

 nourishment, like the honey-bee, from the flow- 

 er-garden ? Man can no more explain this than 

 he can explain why the same vegetable element 

 whitens in the lily and reddens in the rose ; or 

 why in one plant it becomes sweet, in another 

 bitter, and in another acid. These things, and 

 similar ones, are among the unrevealed canons 

 of infinite wisdom. In relation to them the Au- 

 thor of them may and does say to us, as He 

 says to the waves of the sea "Hitherto shall 

 thou come, but no farther." 



Let us look at the tenants of the poultry-yard, 

 and much indeed will be presented to our view 

 worthy the consideration of the philosopher as 

 well as the rural economist. The latter may 

 easily estimate the pecuniary value of this 

 branch of his investment and care; but can 

 the former as easily tell us why there is an al- 

 most infinite diversification in the develop- 

 ment of the charming birds that enliven the 

 mansion and the surrounding inclosures on 

 the well-disposed farm diversification of form, 

 of color, of voice, and of social attributes? 

 Here is a countless number of mysteries in the 

 animal kingdom, which a profound philosopher 

 can no more explain than the most unlettered 

 peasant. These things are beyond human con- 

 ception. We can no more tell why there is 

 such a variation and commingling of colors 

 in the plumage of the poultry-yard, and why 

 there are such deteriorations in the muscu- 

 lar organization and development arising from 

 successive malprod actions, than we can tell by 

 what strange process a portion of the human 

 family have become the pigmies called Aztecs, 

 which attracted so much attention among the 



! curious and philosophical. We may, indeed, 

 say it is from the operation of the law of na- 



i ture ; but of the operative principle of this law 



