The Descent of Man

preference for each other. Finally, Mr. Cupples,
after attending to this subject for another year,
has written to me, "I have had full confirmation
of my former statement, that dogs in breeding
form decided preferences for each other, being
often influenced by size, bright colour, and individual
characters, as well as by the degree of
their previous familiarity."
In regard to horses, Mr. Blenkiron, the greatest
breeder of race-horses in the world, informs me
that stallions are so frequently capricious in
their choice, rejecting one mare and without
any apparent cause taking to another, that various
artifices have to be habitually used. The
famous Monarque, for instance, would never
consciously look at the dam of Gladiateur, and
a trick had to be practised. We can partly see
the reason why valuable race-horse stallions,
which are in such demand as to be exhausted,
should be so particular in their choice. Mr.
Blenkiron has never known a mare reject a hor-