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SOME NOTES ON THE HYBBIDISING OF DUCKS. 



By J. Lewis Bonhote, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



The following- notes are the first fruits of a series of experi- 

 ments which I have been carrying on during the last few 

 years. To many,, hybrids convey an idea of uninteresting 

 mongrels, or possibly those, who may have heard of the work 

 being at present carried out in this country by Mr. Bate son and 

 others, will expect to read of a further series of experiments 

 in Mendelism. In my experiments I have purposely avoided 

 the question of the Mendelian Laws, nor have I hitherto made 

 any attempt to prophesy as to the results of any particular 

 cross, but my object has been rather to try and effect many 

 crosses with a view of testing their fertility, and by very care- 

 fully watching the results, to attempt to throw further light 

 on some of the great and fundamental problems that underlie 

 and permeate every branch of the science of Zoology, such 

 as variation, heredity, reversion, and so forth. 



Although it is as yet far too early, in the course of these 

 experiments, to attempt to enunciate any laws or lay down 

 any definite theories with regard to these problems, yet these 

 notes will, I hope, show that the first five years' study has 

 not been wholly without result. 



My best thanks are due to Professor Alfred Newton, at 

 whose suggestion this work was undertaken, and the gratitude 

 I owe for his kindly encouragement and sympathy is 

 incalculable. 



The five species concerned in my experiments are as follows : 

 (i) The Mallard (Anas boschas), (ii) The Spotbill (Anas poeci- 

 lorhyncha), (iii) The Grey or New Zealand Duck (Anas &uper- 

 ■ciliosa), (iv) Meller's Duck from Madagascar (Anas melleri), 

 (v) The Pintail (Dafila acuta) . The accompanying table will 

 show at a glance the various crosses and how they were pro- 

 duced. Altogether young have been reared from about fifty 

 nests, averaging about four nestlings each. 



In dealing with these complicated crosses it was found 

 imperative to make use of a new series of terms by which to 

 denote them, the word hybrid itself meaning merely ' a cross.' 

 Professor Newton kindly wrote on my behalf to Professor 



