THE CROSSING, &C, OP PIGEONS AND FOWLS. 265 



a perfect type for a species, has been the notion, that 

 such a type would involve the union of all the varietal 

 types; whereas, it is not the types which need to be 

 united, — but the positive characters, those which are 

 peculiar, and those which are common to the several 

 varieties. 



"All the domesticated races" (of the Pigeon), says 

 Darwin (p. 235, Vol. i, Animals and'Plants, &c), "pair 

 readily. together, and what is equally important, their 

 mongrel offspring are perfectly fertile. To ascertain 

 this fact, I have made many experiments which -are 

 given in the note below; and recently Mr. Tegetmeier 

 has made similar experiments, with the same result." 



Note: — "I have drawn out a long table of the 

 various crosses, made by fanciers, between the several 

 domestic breeds, but I do not think it worth publish- 

 ing. I have myself made, for this special purpose, 

 many crosses, and all were perfectly fertile: I have 

 united, in one bird, five of the most distinct races, and 

 with patience, I might have united them all (!) The 

 case of five distinct breeds being blended together, with 

 unimpaired fertility, is important, because Gartner has 

 shown, that it is a very general, though not as he 

 thought, universal rule, that complex crosses between 

 several species are excessively sterile." 



Again he says (p. 236, Vol. i, Animals and Plants, 

 &c): 



"When we consider the great differences between 

 such races as pouters, carriers, runts, fantails, turbits, 

 tumblers, &c, the fact of their perfect, or even increased 

 fertility, when inter-crossed in the most complicated 

 manner, becomes a strong argument in favor of their 

 having all descended from a single species." 



Aye ; and, when we consider that " increased fer- 

 23* 



