200 



Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society, 



But it must not be assumed that no cases were found while data concerning 

 dun were being collected which would suggest the dislodgment of dun from 

 the position in which we liave placed it. A few such cases were found ; but 

 only three in the stud-books — viz., two Clydesdales and one pony, which 

 indicate an error of only 1-5 per cent. The others are Darwin's three cases 

 and three cited by Mr. J. B. Robertson. These make nine cases in all, and 

 it may be suggested fairly that in all probability they are misdescriptions 

 either of colour or paternity. Darwin's second and third cases ought not 

 perhaps to be quoted, as each may have had a grey parent. The following 

 are the nine cases : — 



Progeny. 



Sire. 



Dam. 



Authority. 



Dun filly DoUv, foaled 

 1893 



Dun filly, foaled 1878 



Dun filly, Kate, foaled 

 1887 



Fallow dun foal 



Mouse-dun foal 

 Mouse-dun foal 

 Dark iron-grey foal' 



Light grey foal' 



Bay dun hackney filly, 

 foaled 1898 



Bay Dartmoor pony, 

 Chagford 



Brown Clydesdale, 

 Jack's the Laird 



Bay Clydesdale, The 

 Professor 



Bay horse 



Not dun 



Not dun 



Brown Hackney, Handy 

 Andy 



do. 



Brown Hackney, 

 General Gordon 



Black Dartmoor mare, 

 Black Bess 



Bay Clydesdale, Polly 

 Brown Clydesdale, Love 

 Black mare 



Not dun 

 Not dun 

 Yellow dun Welsh coh 



do. 



Light yeUowbay Hack- 

 ney mare, with black 

 dorsal band, Fanny 

 Gordon 



Polo Pony Stud-Book, 

 vol. V, p. 65 



Clydesdale Stud-Book, 

 vol. iv, p. 51 



do., vol. xiii, p. 50.5 



Darwin's "Animals and 

 Plants under Domes- 

 tication," vol. i, p. 59 



do. (from Hof acker) 



do., do. 



Mr. J. B. Robertson in 

 The Veterinary Re- 

 cord, October 15, 

 1910 



do. 



Mr. J. B. Robertson in 

 Nature, Dec. 1, 1910 



To the foregoing cases ought to be added another eight cases cited from 

 the Thoroughbred Stud-Book, first by Mr. J. B. Robertson in "The 

 Veterinary Record " for October 15th, 1910, and afterwards in " Nature " of 

 November 24th, 1910, by Professor Cossar Ewart, as " reversions to dun," 

 and, therefore, exceptions to our placing. Six of these "reversions" are by no 

 means free of the charge of misdescription, and the other two do not inter- 

 fere with our scheme. To show this we give the cases as described by 

 Mr. Robertson and Professor Ewart, and add in a parallel column such 



' These two cases, if correct, would place dun dominant to all other colours (roan perhaps excepted) , 

 and so demolish its last chance of ever becoming a reversion. 



