CHAPTER 16 

 CAPTIVITY AND DOMESTICATION 



1, Summary of observed changes. Characters in which: (a) Wild Norways 

 differ from domesticated Albinos (b) Caged and domesticated Norways differ 

 from domesticated Albinos (c) Albinos given exercise tend to return to the 

 Norway type. 



It has been already pointed out that the albino rat is a domesti- 

 cated form. To compare with it we have the pigmented Norway, 

 which may be either wild or captive, and at the same time more 

 or less domesticated. Captivity, represented by caging, implies 

 physical restraint, while domestication is a matter of adjustment 

 in behavior. For convenience, however, animals captive for sev- 

 eral generations and more or less adjusted may be designated as 

 domesticated, while in the first phases of captivity they may be 

 designated as caged. The differences which appear in the compo- 

 sition of the two forms are referred to albinism and to domesti- 

 cation. 



Thus far there is but one character of the Albino — the very 

 heavy hypophysis in the female — which appears characteristic 

 of the albino rat as an Albino, but even this character may not 

 be due to albinism in the general sense as it does not appear in the 

 females of the albino rabbit or guinea pig. 



The other characters by which the Albino differs from the 

 Norway are apparently the results of caging and domestication. 

 The proof for such conclusions can be had if domestication in 

 the Norway can be made to induce the changes which appear in 

 the Albino or if feralization of the Albino can cause it to reassume 

 the characters of the Norway. The later process — feralization of 

 the Albino — is difficult to accomplish, but the domestication of the 

 Norway presents no insuperable obstacles, though it is only now 

 in process of accomplishment at The Institute in the hands of 

 Dr. King. 



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