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



exceptions, instead of being intermediate in character, 

 perfectly resemble either parent; and this has occurred, 

 even in the case of twins." 



It is possible, however, that this monstrous pecu- 

 liarity might have been retained, and that without in- 

 ducing lessened fertility ; if only care had been taken 

 that no other features of disproportion remained. 



It is susceptible of a very easy explanation why Dar- 

 win, in his exposition of the process of Natural Selec- 

 tion, failed to record this factor, viz., of the gradual ex- 

 tinction of all organisms which departed far from the 

 type of the sum of all the positive characters of their 

 respective species; and, conversely, viz., of the as- 

 sured perpetuation of their kind, by individuals which 

 realized or approximated such perfect type. Had the 

 phenomenon been in accord with his theoiy, he would 

 not have ignored it, as he has done; but would have 

 rung all the changes upon it, ad nauseam. 



The conditions of nature seem to be more propitious 

 to the development of Cattle and of Horses, than to 

 that of most other species. Most other species, have 

 had many of their characters reduced or suppressed, 

 but, with Cattle, especially, the existing state of nature 

 seems to afford a better habitat, than does domestica- 

 tion. The wild cattle not only present, to the eye, an 

 almost perfect symmetry of development, but the close- 

 interbreeding which they withstand, with no or little 

 evil effect, is a proof of their proportionate develop- 

 ment. As Darwin has before remarked, they are 

 generally sired by only one bull, which, older and 

 stronger than the others, compels the closest inter- 



