150 Intelligent Selection. 
Dogs are the only species which promise good results in selection 
for intelligence, and it is highly desirable that experiments on them, 
with this purpose in view, should be made. The desultory selection 
which has been practiced has given excellent results in this direc- 
tion, while many instances of high intelligence in individual dogs 
have appeared. But no breeder seems to have made it his business 
to make this intelligence the basis of his selective operations, though 
it has been done to some extent without design, in the effort to pre- 
serve high-bred varieties. It is desirable that a series of scientific 
experiments with this object in view should be undertaken, the intel- 
ligence of individual dogs being awakened as fully as possible, and 
the same training applied to the offspring of these dogs during a 
number of generations. The result could scarcely fail to be of 
interest and importance. 
In fact it is desirable that scientists should give some attention to 
the general subject here considered—that of intelligent selection of 
varieties of animals and plants for other purposes than those of com- 
merce. Many results not now dreamed of might thus be attained, 
and the problems of the origin of species and the limits of animal 
intellect be brought nearer to solution. When such extraordinary 
results have been produced by the chance methods .of selection of 
superficial traits so far practiced, the adoption of scientific methods 
and the selection of more significant characteristics would very 
likely yield varieties of the utmost interest and value to science. 
