HYBEIDISATION. 
The arrivals at the Zoological Gardens present a most 
remarkable variety of species belonging to many different 
orders of the animal \vorld. This diversity of forms and 
species arriving together suggests the thought that hybrid- 
isation may not be of uncommon occurrence among animals 
that are deprived of their liberty and kept together under 
very unnatural and artificial circumstances, that the cross- 
ing and mixing of different species of animals is by no 
means of rare occurrence, and many very interesting and 
curious facts have become known in consequence ; I there- 
fore intend to devote a portion of my space to a consider- 
ation and explanation of many of the most remarkable 
instances of the breeding of hybrids, and the various kinds 
of hybrids known to reproduce their kind, for it is not 
generally believed that hybrids or mules are capable of 
reproducing. That such is most frequently the case 
cannot be doubted, but as I shall be able to show that a 
large number of well-authenticated hybrids have repro- 
duced, and continue to reproduce, it is a subject of 
considerable importance, and well deserves the attention 
of all persons who have the opportunity of ascertaining 
facts, and carefully recording their observations upon this 
matter. It is a difficult and troublesome task to collect 
reliable information, rendered especially so by the want 
of knowledge so common among the great mass of persons 
who have been led to believe in the utter uselessness of 
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