Hereditary Diseases of Sheep and Pigs. 
45 
instance of the same cross is given (p. 311), in which the general 
characteristics are those of the pheasant ; and this Avoukl liave 
been still more striking if the tail had not been spread, a liberty, 
I suspect, either of the artist or the stufl'er of the specimen. The 
legs in this instance are slightly feathered. Another hybrid is 
given (p. 313) between i\\e ptarmigan and the grouse. Although 
the precise parentage of the bird is not stated, I am perfectly 
satisfied that in this case the grouse has been the male parent, 
and the tail indicated this, being somewhat forked and divergent. 
In your museum there is an interesting specimen illustrating the 
same law — a hybrid between the pheasant and grey hen. In 
this case the produce is pheasant-like in aspect, tail like the 
pheasant, but somewhat spread, no appearance of forking of the 
tail.' 
" Even in the breeding of Jish the same law has been observed. 
Sir Anthony Carlisle pi'oduced mule fish, by impregnating tlie 
spawn of the salmon by means of the male trout. The results I 
give in his own words : — ' These mules partook of the character 
of the trout more than of the salmon. They had bright red spots 
on their sides, but the black colour was shaded downwards in 
bars like those of the perch. The tails were not forked like 
those of the salmon, as I have seen them in the Thames shcqgers 
(from which I infer the male salmon in that case to have been 
the impregnators).' We thus see in the case of fish, as in that 
of animals, the male parent giving the external characteristics : 
those produced by the male trout had not forked tails ; the 
skeggers, on the other hand, produced by the male salmon, had 
forked tails." 
III. — Experiments on the Comparative Fattening Qualities of 
Different Breeds of Sheep. By J. B. Lawes, Esq., F.R.S., of 
Rothamsted, Herts. 
Kg. 3. — Leicesters A2\D Cross-breds. 
In former numbers of this Journal, we have detailed the results 
of experiments upon the comparative fattening qualities of the 
Hampshire, and the Sussex Downs, and the Cotswold sheep ; 
and, in our Report on the latter, we intimated our intention to 
institute in the succeeding season similar experiments with the 
Lincoln and Leicester breeds. This intention has, however, not 
been entirely carried out ; for, on full inquiry as to the character 
of the so-called Lincoln sheep, and the present extent of its un- 
mixed distribution, it was decided, that the comparison of it 
