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_ HOUWINK’S EXPER. CONC. THE ORIGIN OF SOME DOMESTIC ANIMALS 367 © 
- It isin favour of this last supposition that there appeared among the 
offspring of the inbred original pair a cock-208.4 3 with certain varius- 
characters, as described, it speaks against this supposition that no hens 
with any varius-characters were borne, while such'appeared in the 
cross, to be described, of the hen of the original pair with a varıus- 
cock. 
As positive evidence e. g. the appearance of a cock with some varius- 
characters among the descendents of the inbred original birds, takes 
precedence over negative evidence e. g. the non-appearance of hens 
with varius-characters, the birth of that varius-tainted cock would be 
conclusive evidence of the „bankiva’’ cock of MR. HOUWINK, being a 
segregate from a cross with varius, were it not that there is some 
evidence that domestic poultry, especially the game-breed, which 
originates from Java, where crossing with varius is much practiced, 
may itself contain varıus-blood. 
The possibility therefore remains that the cock of MR. HOUWINK has 
not been imported from the East at all, but isa first cross, or a segre- 
gate from a cross between some spangled domestic race with a par- 
tridge colored bantam cock or with a bankiva-cock ?). 
The only certainty we consequently have, a certainty which is highly 
regrettable is that the birds of MR. HOUWINK, thought to be bankiva’s, 
were no pure bankiva’s. 
This of course greatly diminishes the value of the results obtained 
in crossing them with varius and with Sonnerat, but we hope to show, 
that, all the same, some results worth recording, have been obtained. 
Before proceeding to the description of the crosses we feel in duty 
bound to give some more particulars about the hens obtained by the 
inbreeding of Mr. HOUWINK'S so called bankiva’s. 
1) Mr. F. E. Blaauw of ’s Graveland kindly informs me that the probability 
is, that Mr. Houwink’s original birds were products of a cross between bankiva 
and black red Game bantams, as such crossing is frequently practised. 
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