Origin of Species Variorum

Comparison with 1866

external characters in the production of the most distinct domestic varieties, and from not wishing or being able to produce recondite and functional differences in their reproductive systems; from these several considerations and facts, I do not think that the fertility of varieties can be proved either to be of universal occurrence, or to form a fundamental distinction between them and species. The general fertility of varieties, considering how entirely ignorant we are on the causes of both fertility and sterility, does not seem to me sufficient to overthrow the view taken with respect to the very general, but not invariable, sterility of first crosses between species and of their hybrids, namely, that it is not a special endowment, but is incidental on modifications, slowly impressed, by unknown means, on the reproductive systems of the parent-forms.

Hybrids and Mongrels compared, independently of their fertility .

Independently of the question of fertility, the offspring of species when crossed and of varieties when crossed may be compared in several other respects. Gärtner, whose strong wish was to draw a marked line of distinction between species and varieties, could find very few and, as it seems to me, quite unimportant differences between the so-called hybrid offspring of species, and the so-called mongrel offspring of varieties. And, on the other hand, they agree most closely in very many important respects.

I shall here discuss this subject with extreme brevity. The most important distinction is, that in the first generation mongrels are more variable than hybrids; but Gärtner admits that hybrids from species which have long been cultivated are often variable in the first generation; and I have myself seen striking instances of this fact. Gärtner further admits that hybrids between very closely allied species are more variable than those from very distinct species; and this shows that the difference in the degree of variability graduates away. When mongrels and the more fertile hybrids are propagated for several generations an extreme amount of

external characters in his domestic varieties, and from such varieties not having been exposed for a very long period to uniform conditions of life;—from these several considerations we may conclude that fertility does not constitute a fundamental distinction between varieties and species when crossed. The general sterility of crossed species may safely be looked at not as a special acquirement or endowment, but as incidental on changes of an unknown nature in their sexual elements.

Hybrids and Mongrels compared, independently of their fertility .

Independently of the question of fertility, the offspring of species when crossed and of varieties when crossed may be compared in several other respects. Gärtner, whose strong wish it was to draw a distinct line .. between species and varieties, could find very few, and, as it seems to me, quite unimportant differences between the so-called hybrid offspring of species, and the so-called mongrel offspring of varieties. And, on the other hand, they agree most closely in .. many important respects.