HOUWINK’S EXPER. CONC. THE ORIGIN OF SOME DOMESTIC ANIMALS 2 
red feathers rather darker. On close inspection one considerable 
difference presented itself, namely, that the primary and seconda- 
ry wing-feathers were edged with greenish-black, instead of being 
edged, as in G. bankiva, with fulvous and red tints. The space, also, 
across the back, which bears dark-green feathers, was broader and 
the comb was blackish. In all other respects even in trifling details 
of plumage, there was the closest accordance. Altogether it wasa 
marvellous sight to compare this bird first with G. bankiva, and 
then with its father, the glossy green-black Spanish cock, and with 
its diminutive mother, the white silk hen. This case of reversion (sic) 
is the more extra-ordinaryas the Spanish breed has long been known 
to breed true, and no instance is on record of its throwing a single 
red feather. The Silk hen likewise breeds true, and is believed to 
be ancient, for ALDROVANDI, before 1600, alludes probably to this 
breed, and described it as covered with wool. It is so peculiar in 
many characters that some writers have considered it as specifically 
distinct ; yet, as we now see, when crossed with the Spanish fowl, 
it yields offspring closely resembling the wild G. bankiva’’. 
As we shall presently show that hybrids between at least three of the 
wild species of fowl are fertile, and as we now know, ofcourse, that the 
cases of supposed reversion, mentioned by DARWIN, are merely cases of 
recombination of , factors’ after crossing, the argument in favor of the 
monophyletic origin of all domestic poultry from Gallus bankiva is very 
weak indeed. Still BEEBE (A Monograph of the Pheasants Vol IT) as la- 
te as 1921 adheres to this supposition ; notwithstanding his statement 
on p. 169: „All four species will cross with one another, and the hybrids 
are more or less fertile among themselves’ ‚while the way in which he ex- 
presses himself certainly shows a strong conviction (p. 170): „There isno 
doubt that the Red Junglefowl alone is the direct ancestor of all of our 
domestic poultry, so this question is removed from the discussion”. Al- 
though no special reasons for this conviction are given, the text shows 
that it is based on practically the same evidence as adduced by Dar- 
WIN to wit reversion and the readiness of G. bankiva to cross with do- 
mestic poultry with which it gives fertile hybrids. 
The cases of reversion given are the following ones: the occurrence of 
bankiva-like birds in the forests of Tahiti, where they can only be des- 
cendants of barnyard-fowl (fide: TowsEND Journey to the Sandwich- 
islands etc. 1839 p. 289), a similar statement of Finch Proc. Zool. Soc. 
