418 LECTURE XIV. 



fleece, the excellence of wHcli is preserved through several 

 generations. The buck-sheep exactly resemble our domestic 

 cross breeds, which after some generations lose some of their 

 useful qualities, which can be recovered by a fresh crossing 

 within the race. The fertility of the buck-sheep is not 

 limited, as the crossing is not efiected with the parent stock, 

 but on the contrary with hybrids. 



Fox and bitch, jackal and bitch, ibex and she-goat, camel 

 and dromedaiy, llama and alpaca, vicuila and alpaca, all produce 

 mongrels productive between themselves and infinitely prolific, 

 some of which, as the bastards of the dromedary and the camel, 

 are more valued than the parent stocks. We cannot enter into 

 particulars, excepting in one instance which has recently ac- 

 quired some importance in its industrial aspect, we allude to 

 the breeding of hybrids of the hare and the rabbit as carried 

 on in France. 



M. Eoux, of Angouleme, took young hares from three to 

 four weeks old and brought them up with tame rabbits of the 

 same age. The rabbits, who had never seen a male hare, 

 looked upon them as their natural mates, and so did the young 

 hares as regards their female companions, although they did not 

 seem so familiar. In order to prevent fierce combats, the 

 males must at puberty be separated and a few females given 

 to each. The crossing is thus easily effected, specially at night, 

 as the hare never approaches the female when under observa- 

 tion. The wild doe-hare casts usually only four young; the 

 rabbit from eight to twelve ; the rabbit covered by a hare from 

 five to eight. The prolificacy is thus intermediate. 



The half-blood hares, the progeny of the first crossing, re- 

 semble more the rabbit than the hare. Their fur has scarcely any 

 reddish tint, the grey being the predominating colour. The ears 

 are somewhat longer than in the rabbit, as also ai'e the hind legs ; 

 the facial expression is less wild and timid. They are nearly 

 as large as their parents, so that without close observation 

 they might be taken for rabbits. M. Roux found no advantage 

 in breeding this race, though they are perfectly prolific be- 

 tween each other. If these half-blood males are crossed with 

 tamed doe hares, animals are produced resembling almost 



