CROSSING AND CROSSED BREEDS. 237 
their owners would not in all human probability retain them. 
Hence a pointer, if proved to be descended from a dog and bitch 
belonging to any well-known breeder of this dog in the present 
day, or from Sir H. Goodrich, Mr. Moore, or Mr. Edge, so cele- 
brated for their breeds some years ago, would be valued more 
highly than another without any pedigree at all, although the 
latter might be superior in shape, and might’ perform equally well 
in the field. The importance of pedigree is becoming more fully 
recognised every year, and experienced breeders generally refuse 
to have anything to do with either dog or bitch for this particular 
purpose, unless they can trace the pedigree to ancestors belonging 
to parties who were known to be themselves careful in their selections. 
In most cases this is all that is attempted, especially in pointers, 
setters, spaniels, d&c., but in greyhounds and foxhounds of first- 
class blood the genealogy may generally be traced through half 
a dozen kennels of known and established reputation; and this 
same attention to breed ought to prevail in all the varieties of the 
dog whose performances are of importance, and indeed without it 
‘the reproduction of a particular shape and make cannot with any- 
thing like certainty be depended on. Hence the breeders of valu- 
able toy-dogs, such as King Charles spaniels, Italian greyhounds, 
&c., are as careful as they need be, having found out by experience 
that without this attention they are constantly disappointed. 
CROSSING AND CROSSED BREEDS. 
Crossing is practised with two distinct objects in view :—1st, To 
prevent degeneration in consequence of keeping to the same blood, 
or what is called “in-and-in” breeding; and 2dly, With the 
view of improving particular breeds when they are deficient in 
any desirable quality, by crossing with others which have it in 
perfection, or often in excess. The first of these will be better 
understood after alluding to the practice of “in-and-in” breeding, 
but the second may now be considered with advantage. 
Among dogs, as among horses, certain varieties are remarkable 
for particular qualities, and as the latter are more numerous in the 
species Canis familiaris than in the horse, so there is a greater 
opportunity for alteration. Thus in the horse there are speed, 
