SO THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 



The bird that is raised on free range and comes to winter quarters in 

 an overfat condition while its mates are in proper condition reveals a 

 persistent tendency to fat production . 



The female in the laying pen that converts her food to fat while her 

 mates are converting theirs to flesh or eggs reveals the persistent ten- 

 dency to mal-assimilation of food. 



The breeder who early recognizes the truth and the dominating force 

 of the law of persistence and maintains those persistent qualities that 

 are desirable and discards those persistent qualities that are not desir- 

 able will if he himself is persistent meet with success whatever be his 

 aim . 



The propagation of species is governed and influenced by a multitude 

 of factors some of which are clearly understood, some partially under- 

 stood and others not understood. 



People of mature years know how often children "take back" to their 

 grandparents; not only in appearance but in mental and physical traits. 

 Sometimes they take back so far beyond the grandparents that nothing 

 but family tradition or record can connect their characteristics with their 

 ancestors. Some people do not believe in the influence of heredity. In 

 the attempt to prove their theory they will cite cases where the law of 

 heredity has apparently failed. One such attempt that I recently noted 

 in a newspaper was amusing. 



A list of poets was given with the statement that the poetic gift had not 

 been transmitted to the children. This was true. Quite a number of 

 those given in the list were never married and several of those who were 

 had no children. The children of others died young. AVith all such 

 attempts to discredit one of the most powerful laws of nature the full 

 facts relating to both sides of the union are either suppressed or are not 

 known . 



What is true of the higher orders is also true with our domestic an- 

 imals and birds. When traits that seem to be especially prominent, 

 are not transmitted, it is because those, traits were not as persistent as 

 we supposed, or they have been overpowered by more persistent traits 

 that we failed to note. Pedigree breeding is the only correct founda- 

 tion for a strain of superior merit in any direction. 



No man can tell by looking at a pair what the offspring will be. 

 Standard points, prolificacy, health, vigor, and the power to transmit 

 them are all governed by the principles herein outlined, and the truth 

 of the maxim that "like begets like," will depend in a great measure 

 upon our knowledge of each individual breeder, its ancestry and its 

 previous offspring, if any. 



