Wild Hybrids 
nil, It is, however, curious that three-quarter- 
bred animals have rarely, if ever, been recorded 
in a state of nature, though a good many wild- 
bred hybrids are on record. 
This points to some unfitness for the struggle 
for existence even in a fertile hybrid. It is 
necessary to emphasise the fact that wild hybrids 
are always exceedingly rare as individuals, in 
spite of what has been said as to the number of 
recorded crosses. 
More hybrid unions have been noted among 
the duck family than anywhere else in the animal 
kingdom. Nevertheless Finn never once saw a 
hybrid duck for sale in the Calcutta market, 
although for seven years he was constantly on 
the look-out for such forms; nor does Hume 
record any such specimen in his Game Birds and 
Wild Fowl of India. 
The hybrid which occurs most commonly as 
an individual is that between the blackcock and 
capercailzie, which is recorded yearly on the 
Continent; but it appears to be sterile, and so 
has no influence on the species. 
Wild hybrids between mammals are far rarer 
even than bird hybrids, the only ones which 
seem to be on record being those between the 
Argali and Urial above alluded to ; those between 
the brown and blue hares and the common and 
Arctic foxes. 
A consideration of the phenomena of hybridism 
131 
