9i8 
PHENOMENA OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION. 
kinds of streaks and blotches instead of a mixing of the colours of the flowers. Thus 
a hybrid which Sageret obtained from Cucumis Chate (female) with C. Melo Canta- 
lupus (which had a reticulated rind) had a yellow flesh, a reticulate marking of the 
rind and moderately prominent ribs like the male parent, but white seeds and an 
acid flavour like the female parent. Another hybrid from the same species had, on 
the contrary, the sweet flavour and yellow flesh of the male, with the white seeds and 
smooth rind of the female parent. To this category belongs also the hybrid of 
Cytisus Laburnum and purpureus [known as Cytisus Adami\ some of the branches 
of which partially or entirely resembled one and some of them the other parent-form. 
I have found what seemed to be a hybrid Antirrhinum majus^ in which the inflor- 
escence bore on one side of the axis only dark-red, on the other side only yellow 
flowers, while between the two halves stood a single flower which was half red and 
half yellow. 
8. In addition to its inherited properties, the hybrid usually possesses characters 
of its own by which it is distinguished from both its parent-forms. One of these 
new characters, which occurs especially with variety-hybrids, is the tendency to vary 
more strongly than its parent-forms. Species-hybrids are usually weak in their 
sexual properties ; those derived from nearly related parent-species are, on the other 
hand, more vigorous in their growth than their parent-forms, while hybrids resulting 
from the union of species less nearly related are generally feebler in their develop- 
ment. The luxuriant growth of the hybrids from nearly allied species is displayed 
in their more numerous and larger leaves, in their tafler and stouter stems, more 
copious root' system, and larger number of shoots (stolons, scions, &c.). Hybrids 
have also a tendency to a longer duration of life ; those of annual or biennial parent- 
forms often live a number of years, probably in consequence of their producing 
a smaller number of seeds. Hybrids are also characterised by commencing to 
flower earlier, and continuing to do so longer and more abundantly, than the parent- 
forms ; sometimes they produce an extraordinary number of flowers, which are also 
larger, more enduring, and of brighter colour and stronger odour. They have also 
a tendency to become double, their staminal and carpellary leaves to increase in 
number and develope into petals. Along with this luxuriant vegetative growth, the 
sexual organs are usually weak, and this in every possible degree. ' The stamens,' 
says Nageli, 'are, it is true, in some cases perfect externally, but partially or altogether 
infertile, the pollen-grains not attaining their proper development; while in others 
the stamens are altogether abortive and reduced to rudiments. The pistils (gynae- 
ceum) of hybrids are in most cases not distinguishable externally from those of the 
parent species, but their ovules have no power, or only to a slight degree, of 
becoming fertiHsed; either no oospheres are formed, or the embryos which begin 
to be developed from the oospheres perish sooner or later. Under favourable 
circumstances, when fertile seeds are produced, their number is smaller, and they 
manifest a certain degree of feebleness in their slow germination and the short 
duration of this capacity.' The feebleness of the sexual function is in some 
variety-hybrids scarcely perceptible, in others but small ; in general it is the more 
marked the more distant the genetic and sexual affinity of the parent-forms. When 
species-hybrids have the power of producing seeds by self-pollination, and this is 
repeated in the progeny, their fertility generally diminishes from generation to 
