CHAPTER XVIII 



BREEDING 



To the " questing intelligence " breeding is 

 the main end of all studies in animals. It is 

 attractive to mental curiosity because it is both 

 momentous and elusive. 



For purposes of biological science there is no 

 difference between homo and canis. If the in- 

 quirer can discover the operations of cause and 

 effect in the heredity of one mammal, the whole 

 book of life lies open. So far, however, there is 

 not much to tell, — will not be much, now, until 

 the biologists work out Mendel's law 



If a purveyor of formulas gives you advice about 

 breeding dogs, go your way and take the opposite 

 course. In so doing you are as likely to succeed, 

 and you will have the satisfaction of being inde- 

 pendent and original. 



Everybody has copious opinions about breed- 

 ing; nobody has much knowledge. In all trades 

 it is so easy to write words of wisdom and 

 so hard to pay a dividend ; so easy to see ghosts 

 and so hard to make them walk. Commentators 

 on the breeding of horses and dogs can construct 



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