| → of a 1869 1872 |
| and knowledge of any 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
|
| → in a new strain 1869 |
| of the new sub-breed 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
| OMIT 1872 |
|
| →
Mans
1869 |
|
Man's
1866 |
|
Man
'
s
1872 |
|
| → and hence this comes to be 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| Hence, number is 1872 |
|
|
When further improved by the same slow and gradual process, they will spread more widely, and will
recognised as something distinct and valuable, and will then probably first receive a provincial name. In semi-civilised countries, with little free communication, the spreading
→of a
new sub-breed
be a slow process. As soon as the points of value
→in a new strain
are once
acknowledged, the principle, as I have called it, of unconscious selection will always tend, — perhaps more at one period than at another, as the breed rises or falls in fashion, — perhaps more in one district than in another, according to the state of
of the inhabitants, — slowly to add to the characteristic features of the breed, whatever they may be. But the chance will be infinitely small of any record having been preserved of such slow, varying, and insensible changes. |
|
Circumstances
favourable
to →
Mans
Power
of
Selection.
|
| I
now say a few words on the circumstances, favourable, or the reverse, to
power of selection. A high degree of variability is obviously favourable, as freely giving the materials for selection to work on; not that mere individual differences are not amply sufficient, with extreme care, to allow of the accumulation of a large amount of modification in almost any desired direction. But as variations manifestly useful or pleasing to man appear only occasionally, the chance of their appearance will be much increased by a large number of individuals being
→and hence this comes to be
of the highest importance
success. On this principle Marshall
remarked, with respect to the sheep of parts of Yorkshire,
"as they generally belong to poor people, and are mostly
in
small
they never can be improved." On the other hand,
|
