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



occasioned by pushing these peculiarities to an " ex- 

 treme point," which causes the pronounced degenera- 

 tion of the highly-bred animals. 



With respect to Pigeons, which are more divergent 

 in character, than even the Fowl, he says (p. 27, Origin 

 of Species) : 



"The hybrids, or mongrels, from between all the 

 domestic breeds of Pigeons, are perfectly fertile. I 

 can state this from my own observation purposely 

 made, on the most distinct breeds. Now, it is difficult, 

 perhaps impossible, to bring forward one case of the 

 hybrid offspring of two animals clearly distinct, being 

 themselves perfectly fertile." 



In the chapter on "The Sterility of Hybrids," it 

 will be seen how strongly this militates against his 

 theory. 



" Pigeons " (p. 29, Origin of Species) " were much val- 

 ued by Abner Khan in India, about the year 1600; 

 never less than 20,000 Pigeons were taken with the 

 court. 'The monarchs of Iran and Turan sent him 

 some very rare birds;' and, continues the courtly his- 

 torian, 'His Majesty, by crossing the breeds, which 

 method was never before practiced, has improved them 

 astonishingly.' " 



It is obvious, that, if the gain in sterility and consti- 

 tutional vigor, resulting from crossing, be due to each 

 parent contributing, to the formation of the offspring, a 

 character or characters which the other parent lacks, 

 the gain must be in proportion to the number of fea- 

 tures so contributed ; and, that the more distinct the 

 crossed breeds are, the greater should be the good 

 which flows. Darwin states, as matter of fact, — the 



