80 THM COMPLETE POULTBY BO OX. 



in constitution ; but when the prepotency of the French stock was broken by a 

 mixtnre of breeds, before the introduction of the English blood, the resulting 

 progeny produced a grade of sheep of very uniform qualities, and so closely 

 resembline the English stock as only to be recognized as a cr^ss by an experi- 

 enced eye ; yet, at the same time, adapted to the circumstances of their conti- 

 nental home. 



In this way the Charmoise breed of France was produced, the hereditary ten- 

 dencies of the French ewes having been obscured by the mixture of four of the 

 native breeds, so that when the first cross was made with the English rams the 

 produce would consist of fifty per cent. English blood, but of only twelve and a 

 half per cent, each of the various French breeds. * 



But this discussion brings us to the question, What is apwre breed r Upon this 

 jiomt we cannot do better than to reproduce the following article from the pen 

 of Mr. Tegetmeier : 



" A considerable amount of uncertainty finds its way into type respecting what 

 may be termed pure breeds of domestic animals. Such questions as the follow- 

 ing are constantly asked : ' Are Brahmas a pure breed ? ' 'Are Black Hamburgs 

 a pure breed?' etc., etc. These queries obviously owe their origin to a confusion 

 of the distinction that exists between diflferent species of animals, and between 

 difierent varieties of the same species. Let us illustrate our meaning by an ex- 

 ample or two : 



" A hare is a pure-bred animal, because it is totally distinct from all other an- 

 imals, or, as naturalists say, it constitutes a distinct species. It does not breed 

 with other animals, for the so-called leporines are only large rabbits ; aqd if it 

 did, the ofiSspring would be a hybrid or a mule, and almost certainly sterile, or 

 incapable of breeding. In the same manner the common wild rabbit is a pure 

 breed. This animal possesses the capability of being domesticated, and under 

 the new circumstances in which it is placed, it varies in size, form, and color 

 from the original stock. By careful' selection of these variations, and by breed- 

 ing from those individuals which show most strongly the points or qualities de- 

 aired, certain varieties, or, as they are termed, 'breeds' of rabbits, are produced 

 and perpetuated. Thus we have the lop-eared breed ; the Angora breed ; the 

 ChinchUla breed, etc., etc., characterized by alterations in the length of the ears, 

 in the color of the fur, in the size of the animals, and so on. tt is obvious that, 

 by more care, more new varieties may be produced and perpetuated. Thus, by 

 mating silver-greys of difierent depths of color, white animals with black ex- 

 tremities are often produced, and these have been perpetuated by mating them 

 together. The breed so produced is absurdly called the Himalayan variety, and, 

 as it reproduces its like, is as pure and distinct a breed as any other that can be 

 named. But, in the strictest scientific sense of the word, no particular variety 

 of rabbit can be said to be a pure breed, as, like all the others, it is descended 

 from the wild original. In the same manner we may deny the applicability of 

 the term pure breed to the varieties of any domesticated animal ; even if, as in 

 the case of the dog or sheep, we do not know the original from which they de- 

 scended. 



" All that can be asserted of the so-called purest bred variety is that it hag 

 "Miles' Stock Breeaing, pp. 193-204. 



