1T4 THE FORMATION OF VARIETIES. 



is carried, the more the individuals of this class, be- 

 come disproportionately developed. Every deviation, 

 among the individuals of a variety, "from the standard 

 of excellence which the breeder has established in 

 his own mind" (p. 237), is esteemed a degeneration; 

 although such variation be of a positive character, 

 and although it consist of an organ essentially neces- 

 sary to secure the normal relation of the parts. 



Thus, it is, generally, the case, that each variety 

 possesses a character, which it is necessary that the 

 other varieties should possess ; and, each variety lacks 

 all of the positive peculiarities, of the other varieties, 

 which, for full physiological integrity, it is necessary 

 that it should possess. In other words, the positive 

 characters of a species, which it is essential should all 

 be developed in each individual of that species, are, in- 

 stead thereof, apportioned among different individuals, 

 or different varieties. In other words, a multiplicity of 

 divergent varieties in any species, necessarily implies 

 the loss, in each variety, of the positive characters 

 peculiar to the other varieties of the species. With 

 many animals, absence of true proportion is occa- 

 sioned, frequently, by blind conformity to • certain 

 standards, existing in the breeders' minds. Thus, 

 when a breed acquires a reputation, or distinct charac- 

 ter, all of its then existing points, — both those posi- 

 tive, and those negative, both, those parts, of intrinsic 

 value, and those not, — are faithfully preserved ; as if, 

 the preservation intact, of the existing structure, were 

 a sine qua non of its good quality, or of its purity of 

 blood; and this occurs, even when some of its features 



