316 Evolution and Adaptation 
born in Massachusetts having short crooked legs and a long 
back. From this one ram by crossing, at first with common 
sheep, the ancon race has been produced. ‘ When crossed 
with other breeds the offspring, with rare exception, instead 
of being intermediate in character, perfectly resemble either 
parent; even one of twins has resembled one parent and the 
second the other.” 
Two especially remarkable cases remain to be described. 
These are the Porto Santo rabbit and the japanned peacock. 
Darwin has given a full account of both of these cases. 
“The rabbits which have become feral on the island of Porto 
Santo, near Madeira, deserve a fuller account. In 1418 or 
1419 J. Gonzales Zarco happened to have a female rabbit on 
board which had produced young during the voyage, and he 
turned them all out on the island. These animals soon 
increased so rapidly that they became a nuisance, and actually 
caused the abandonment of the settlement. Thirty-seven 
years subsequently, Cada Mosto describes them as innumer- 
able; nor is this surprising, as the island was not inhabited by 
any beast of prey, or by any terrestrial mammal. We do not 
know the character of the mother rabbit; but it was probably 
the common domestic kind. The Spanish peninsula, whence 
Zarco sailed, is known to have abounded with the common 
wild species at the most remote historical period; and as these 
rabbits were taken on board for food, it is improbable that 
they should have been of any peculiar breed. That the breed 
was well domesticated is shown by the doe having littered 
during the voyage. Mr. Wollaston, at my request, brought 
two of these feral rabbits in spirits of wine; and, subsequently, 
Mr. W. Haywood sent home three more specimens in brine 
and two alive. These seven specimens, though caught at 
different periods, closely resemble each other. They were 
full-grown, as shown, by the state of their bones. Although 
the conditions of life in Porto Santo are evidently highly 
favorable to rabbits, as proven by their extraordinarily rapid 
