BREEDING. 133 



type can be secured and maintained, the better, and the 

 reasons must be clear on a little consideration. 



But similarity is fatal to success if carried beyond a cer- 

 tain point. We, of course, refer to that deep, underlying 

 similarity commonly expressed by the term " same blood," 

 but which is better understood if we use the term proto- 

 plasm, or life-stuff of similar experiences. All the cells of 

 the animal body are, of course, composed of protoplasm. 



But in all cases the parents must be considered much 

 more than the other ancestors. "Why is this ? 



Because the parents are the outcome of the entire an- 

 cestry, and while they may have hidden or latent qualities, 

 good or bad, dependent on the ancestry, we can not hope 

 that those obvious qualities which they possess will not 

 appear in the offspring. As a matter of fact, they do 

 usually crop up ; and when a mating is made, the problem 

 is always a complex one, with many factors known only in 

 a vague way by the pedigree, but others more clear and 

 certain as actually existent in the parents. 



Glaring faults are almost sure to be reproduced, no 

 matter how good the mating in other respects, so that an 

 animal of very pronounced defects in physical or psychical 

 qualities should be rejected as a breeder ; all the more so 

 if these were known to exist in the more remote ancestors. 



Disposition and stamina are of the utmost importance, 

 in the brood bitch especially, as they are very likely to 

 be reproduced in the offspring. But inasmuch as two 

 dogs ideal in all respects can not generally be found for 

 the mating, we inquire, "What is the best to be done ? 



Assuming that in the bitch there is good intelligence, 

 disposition, and stamina, if she have no defects of form, 



