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ZOOLOGY. -ROO 
not wish to expend money and care on their live stock —to have 
the best and care for it in the best manner. They suppose that 
the moment their care is withdrawn, the objects of it will begin 
to “revert” to original inferiority. This wide-spread belief greatly 
impedes the general improvement of live stock. 
Instances of this alleged “reversion” were brought forward at 
the last annual meeting of this Association, and are printed 
among the papers then delivered. About a month later there was 
a meeting held in a neighboring state. Stock breeders came from 
England, from California, from even the very state where they had 
Just been told that ‘“‘shorthorns” were prone to return to their 
Original state. The meeting was for the sale of improved animals, 
and in 30 minutes the sale of shorthorns amounted to $250,000, 
and there also, within a very short time, 109 head of cattle were 
sold for $382,000. For 5 cows—the Duchess strain—$158,000 
were paid—all showing the faith of the purchasers in the per- 
manence of the improved stock. 
‘For some years Prof. Brewer has been investigating this subject 
and seeking for proof of the alleged tendency to reversion. The 
Inquiry only covered “‘ thoroughbreds,” and not “grades” nor ‘‘mon- 
grels.” To carefully worded inquiries in writing, following upon 
every report of such ‘‘reversion,” Prof. Brewer hasweceived very 
numerous replies, and they are unanimously in the negative. This 
is certainly remarkable, following upon the confident assertions that 
animals so frequently exhibited the alleged tendency. The in- 
quiries were pushed in the specific localities where the reversion 
Was said to have occurred; the questions have been put to a large 
_ lumber of stock-breeders, and finally have been made by means 
of a printed circular. But the result was always the same, except 
that a smile of incredulity extended over the faces of some stock 
breeders when such inquiries were put to them, and they feared 
they were to be made the victims of a “sell.” No instances of the 
alleged “ reversion” having been authenticated in Prof. Brewer’s 
experience, he asks the Association to aid in exposing and refut- 
ing the pernicious notion. 
_ Deep Sea Exrrorations.—In a letter written by Professor 
Wyville Thompson, in charge of the “ Challenger” Expedition, 
we have some account of the dredgings at great depths in the 
Antarctic Ocean. 
After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, several 
