Chap. XXVIII. 



CONCLUDING REMARKS. 



425 



ture. In the case of animals kept by savages and semi-civilised 

 people, which have to provide largely for their own wants under 

 different circumstances, natural selection will probably play a 

 more important part. Hence such animals often closely re- 

 semble natural species. 



As there is no limit to man's desire to possess animals and 

 plants more and more useful in any respect, and as the fancier 

 always wishes, from fashion running into extremes, to produce 

 each character more and more strongly pronounced, there is a 

 constant tendency in every breed, through the prolonged action 

 of methodical and unconscious selection, to become more and 

 more different from its parent-stock ; and when several breeds 

 have been produced and are valued for different qualities, to 

 differ more and more from each other. This leads to Divergence 

 of Character. As improved sub- varieties and races are slowly 

 formed, the older and less improved breeds are neglected and 

 decrease in number. When few individuals of any breed exist 

 within the same locality, close interbreeding, by lessening their 

 vigour and fertility, aids in their final extinction. Thus the 

 intermediate links are lost, and breeds which have already 

 diverged gain Distinctness of Character. 



In the chapters on the Pigeon, it was proved by historical 

 details and by the existence of connecting sub-varieties in distant 

 lands that several breeds have steadily diverged in character, 

 and that many old and intermediate sub- breeds have become 

 extinct. Other cas.es could be adduced of the extinction of do- 

 mestic breeds, as of the Irish wolf-dog, the old English hound, 

 and of two breeds in France, one of which was formerly highly 

 valued. 4 Mr. Pickering remarks 5 that "the sheep figured on 

 ,c the most ancient Egyptian monuments is unknown at the pre- 

 " sent day ; and at least one variety of the bullock, formerly 

 " known in Egypt, has in like manner become extinct." So it 

 has been with some animals, and with several plants cultivated 

 by the ancient inhabitants of Europe during the neolithic period. 

 In Peru, Yon Tschudi 6 found in certain tombs, apparently prior 

 to the dynasty of the Incas, two kinds of maize not now known 

 m the country. With our flowers and culinary vegetables, 



4 M. Rufz de Lavison, in < Bull. Soc. Imp. d'Acclimat./ Dec. 1862, p, 1009. 

 Races of Man/ 1850, p. 315. <* * Travels in Peru/ Eng. translat., p. 177. 



