THE CROSSING, AC, OF CATTLE, ET AL. 311 



be deemed a guaranty of purity of blood. They are 

 moved to this, frequently, by the fancy that, in some 

 mysterious way, the special excellence is dependent 

 upon such peculiar build. To preserve this peculiar 

 ratio of the characters, the breeder is forced to inter- 

 breed the individuals, and, of course, after a time, short 

 or long, according as the proportion has been impaired, 

 the consequent evil become.s manifest. 



It is apparent, that, when it is an object with each 

 breeder, to preserve the type of his breed, there is 

 little attempt to remedy any defects in structure. 



As Darwin remarks (page 195, Vol. i, Animals and 

 Plants, &c): 



"Any visible deviation of character, in a well-estab- 

 lished breed, is rejected as a blemish." 



Is it any wonder, that evil effects do eventually 

 result, when, not only are many little points of struc- 

 ture left to continue defective, but, when the point 

 aimed at, by breeders, is to bring all of the animals, 

 of a breed, which are to be interbred, to a dead uni- 

 formity of character, which is replete with defects ? 



" Youatt urges the necessity," says Darwin (p. 236, 

 Vol. ii, Animals and Plants^ &c), " of annually draft- 

 ing each flock (of sheep) ; as many animals will cer- 

 tainly degenerate, ' from the standard of excellence 

 which the breeder has established in his own mind.' " 



Breeders, in pursuance of this course of preserving 

 what they have seen fit to regard as the proper type, 

 for any variety, even discard, and " weed " out (as they 

 say), many positive points of structure, which are 

 sorely needed, to fill out the proportion. 



