254 BREEDING. 



fully recognised by all breeders, it is unnecessary to dilate upon 

 them, and the above instances are only introduced as absolutely 

 proving to the uninitiated what would otherwise depend upon 

 dogmatic assertion. 



AXIOMS FOR , THE BREEDER'S USE. 



But it may be asked, — What, then, are the principles upon 

 which breeding is to be conducted ? To this, in many of the 

 details, no answer can be given which can be relied on with cer- 

 tainty. Nevertheless, there are certain broad landmarks estab- 

 lished which afford some assistance, and these shall be given, 

 taking care to avoid all rules which are not clearly established by 

 general consent. 



1. The male and female each furnish their quota towards the 

 original germ of the offspring ; but the female over and above this 

 nourishes it till it is born, and, consequently, may be supposed to 

 have more influence upon its formation than the male. 



2. Natural conformation is transmitted by both parents as 

 a general law, and likewise any acquired or accidental variation. 

 It may therefore be said that, on both sides, "like produces 

 like." 



3. In proportion to the purity of the breed will it be trans- 

 mitted unchanged to the offspring. Thus a greyhound bitch of 

 pure blood put to a mongrel will produce puppies more nearly 

 resembling her shape than that of the father. 



4. Breeding in-and-in is not injurious to the dog, as may be 

 proved both from theory and practice ; indeed it appears, on the 

 contrary, to be very advantageous in many well-marked instances 

 of the greyhound, which have of late years appeared in public. 



5. As every dog is a compound animal, made up of a sire 



