WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



general antipathy exists in opposition to keeping a (so- 

 called) mongrel race of any animal. 



In pointing out the best known hybrids that are, and 

 have been, prominently brought before the public in the 

 shape of birds, and which are, and have been, of small size, 

 I will remark that any person who has paid but the small- 

 est attention to the subject, cannot fail to admit that a 

 goldfinch and a bullfinch are two well-marked and distinct 

 species, and that these birds have frequently bred together 

 and unmistakable mules have been the result. The mule 

 goldfinch more frequently breeds with a female canary, and 

 the latter bird will breed freely with several well-recognized 

 and distinct species of finches. 



It is perfectly true that in a state of nature wild animals 

 of distinct species rarely interbreed. A few well-known 

 instances of such a thing happening are, however, recorded 

 upon the most trustworthy and unquestionable authority. 

 But the object of the present remarks is to elicit closer 

 observation, and cause more attention to be given and 

 more experiments to be tried by competent persons who 

 have the opportunity to investigate this hitherto neglected 

 subject. 



In France the breeding of the different kinds of game 

 birds, mostly of the family of the Phasianidce, and the 

 crossing of the various species with the intention of test- 

 ing the kinds that produce fertile hybrids, are now attract- 

 ing considerable attention. It has already been proved 

 that several well-marked species when bred together 

 produce fertile hybrids. In other cases, in which the 

 parents belong to genera that are far removed, such as the 

 pheasant and common fowl, the result has been a barren 

 or sterile offspring, and this is a very reasonable result, 

 because the difference between the common fowl and 

 pheasant is so great that they have always been considered 



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