mae 
1872] 295 (Price. 
when man does not seize upon the offered variations to make them in- 
heritable, by bringing together two of different sexes with the like varia- 
tions to become parents of a common like progeny, and afterwards pre- 
serving only those which most strongly shew the desired variation? The 
variation from one parent only would quickly fade out into the normal 
character. Those having variations, Darwin says, ‘‘would during ths 
first and succeeding generations cross with the ordinary form, and then 
they would almost inevitably lose their abnormal character.’’ Tb. 58. 
Nature, of herself, does not interpose to seize upon and continue the occa- 
sionally occuring variation. She does not select a mate of like variation ; 
nor does she develop it to a higher perfection by training or better feed- 
ing, and make it the special centre of a favored propagation. Natural 
selection, unaided by man, must, therefore be of very limited influence, 
if any, towards establishing a change, whether to be called a variation or 
a species ; while the change that is wrought by man, would, without his 
continuing maintenance, revert to its normal condition much more rap- 
idly than it was formed. Again variations left only to nature’s care, 
must be such as give increase of strength, otherwise they will die out 
from weakness as all monsters do, or breed out to the normal condition. 
Tb. 90, 108. The varieties of pigeons have been the products of man’s 
care for thousands of years ; but not one-half the eggs of the best short- 
beaked tumbler-pigeons would be hatched without his aid to break the 
shell. Ib. 38, 90. This shews them degenerate ; a pampered and failing 
aristocracy ; who, left to themselves, in a state of nature, would quickly 
die out. 
And what is the result of the selection of nature even when most as- 
sisted by man? Has it produced any new species? For more than three 
thousand years before Christ, and ever since, there have been pigeon fan- 
ciers who have taken infinite pains in their breeding. Ib. 38. Darwin 
says, ‘‘the diversity of the breeds is something astonishing.”” ‘‘A score 
of pigeons might be chosen, which, if shown to an ornithologist, and he 
were told they were wild birds, would certainly be ranked by him as well 
defined species.’’ Ib. 34. Yet are they such? Darwin says, ‘‘the hy- 
brids or mongrels from all the domestic breeds of pigeons are perfectly 
fertile. I can state this from my own observations, purposely made, on 
the most distinct breeeds. Now it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to 
bring forward one case of the hybrid offspring of two animals clearly dis- 
tinct, being themselves perfectly fertile,” p. 37. Now, if there were a 
possibility for nature and man together to create new species, it should 
have been in the instance of the long and general experiment with pigeons. 
It has at most amounted to producing varieties, in shape and exterior 
plumage and appearances, while by the truest test of inter-breeding the 
nature of the creature is essentially unchanged. It is probable that the 
truth is the same as to dogs, horses, European cattle and fowls, except 
as disparity in size has rendered the same test of inter-generation to a 
large extent, impracticable. Surely, then, that law which the Creator 
has so emphatically imposed upon His creation, He has not himself vio- 
