68 Scientific Intelligence. 
some of the most eoree breeds were turned loose and left to 
shift for themselves. Three years after, I found them possessing 
all the physical peak ah of the wild boar of Europe.” I have 
italicized in the pane tation the special point to which I wish to call 
attention. At the reading of we Depot = author verbally 
stated that a similar fact had b with “ Durha 
cattle.” About the same fake see aie sont was strongly and 
publicly affirmed by ae gr aa mbit) who is even more 
eminent. In both c the dogma was used as an argument 
to sustain a certain soientific hyictboda or ‘lad to combat another 
hypothesis. 
= let us = to another meeting, held scarcely a month after 
our last one. herd of short-horns was to be sold at New York 
Mills, is Pty i Aa flocked from near ade far 4 attend this 
other meeting. ey came from England, they came from ree 
fornia, they came from half the States of the Uni ; they ev 
came from the very regions where these scientific witboriticn had 
but just told them that short-horns were so prone to return to 
For the best five cows (belonging to a particularly excellent strain 
called the “ Phircheak ”) they paid an average of $31,640 per r head. 
These prices indicate the faith of those men in the future perma- 
nence of the acquired characters of that herd. 
some er Ihave been Aurel for the proof of the oft- 
assertion, but [have not yet found the proof in scientific cases. 
Until within the past year, however, my inquiries have been ver- 
bal, as | had opportunity, and I kept no record of the answers re- 
ceived, because I thought be among practical men (so-called) the 
thing was settled. But the confident assertions within a year, 
by eminent authorities, ae such reversions would always oe 
place under certai n conditions, and then, Seta so closel 
the heels of these actin. the rem arkable sa of which I ‘ve 
spoken, have awakened a new interest in the cs t, and I have 
resumed the inquiry, in the ho: ope that, if there be ay such great 
law, we may somewhere find t i Pp . 
T have therefore Rey the circular which follows, and I ask 
