248 THE CROSSING, &C, OF PIGEONS AND FOWLS. 



and frequently more, where either of their parents pos- 

 sessed one ; hence, the greater fertility of the mongrels. 

 The reason that dovecotes, trumpeters, and common 

 pigeons, "and various other breeds,'' are, compared 

 with the "high fancy breeds," "generally very fertile 

 and hardy birds," is because, whilst in the "high fancy 

 breeds," one character, or more, is pushed to an ex- 

 treme point, the development of the characters, in 

 the dovecotes, &c, is nearer to the true proportion. 

 Although many of the characters are reduced, they 

 are reduced, in these breeds, in something like pro- 

 portion. 



The extreme delicacy, and sterility, of the "'high 

 fancy breeds," of pigeons and fowls, should be borne in 

 mind, by the reader ; for, as will be seen, these traits 

 conclusively negative Darwin's conception, that these 

 divergent varieties may diverge into distinct species. 



Darwin speaks, above, of the mongrels from a cross, 

 not being " interesting " birds. The reason they are 

 esteemed, " not interesting," to the breeder, is, because 

 they have the characters of the species, approximating 

 concurrent, and proportionate development ; whereas, 

 no pigeons are " interesting," to men happily termed 

 " fanciers," unless they have one, or a few characters, 

 pushed to the extreme of development, and out of all 

 proportion to the others. The " interesting " birds, 

 have to pay for their charms, by the " delicacy of con- 

 stitution," and the " sterility," which are so " remark- 

 able." 



"Evidence of the evil effects of close-inter- 

 breeding," says Darwin (p. 145, Vol. ii, Animals and 



