versicolor are perfectly
fertile. The hybrids from the common and Chinese geese (A. cygnoides),
species which are so different that they are generally ranked in
distinct genera, have often bred in this country with either pure
parent, and in one single instance they have bred inter se. This was
effected by Mr. Eyton, who raised two hybrids from the same parents
but from different hatches; and from these two birds he raised no less
than eight hybrids (grandchildren of the pure geese) from one nest. In
India, however, these cross-bred geese must be far more fertile; for I
am assured by two eminently capable judges, namely Mr. Blyth and Capt.
Hutton, that whole flocks of these crossed geese are kept in various
parts of the country; and as they are kept for profit, where neither
pure parent-species exists, they must certainly be highly fertile.
A doctrine which originated with Pallas, has been largely accepted by
modern naturalists; namely, that most of our domestic animals have
descended from two or more aboriginal species, since commingled by
intercrossing. On this view, the aboriginal species must either at
first have produced quite fertile hybrids, or the hybrids must have
become in subsequent generations quite fertile under domestication.
This latter alternative seems to me the most probable, and I am
inclined to believe in its truth, although it rests on no direct
evidence. I believe, for instance, that our dogs have descended from
several wild stocks; yet, with perhaps the exception of certain
indigenous domestic dogs of South America, all are quite fertile
together; and analogy makes me greatly doubt, whether the several
aboriginal species would at first have freely bred together and have
produced quite fertile hybrids.
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