n observed in the preceding pages that,
whenever there has been neglect, the breed has proportionally
deteriorated."[588] If a considerable number of improved cattle, sheep, or
other animals of the same race, were allowed to breed freely together, with
no selection, but with no change in their condition of life, there can be
no doubt that after a score or hundred generations they would be very far
from excellent of their kind; but, from what we see of the many common
races of dogs, cattle, fowls, pigeons, &c., which without any particular
care have long retained nearly the same character, we have no grounds for
believing that they would altogether depart from their type.

It is a general belief amongst breeders that characters of all kinds become
fixed by long-continued inheritance. But I have attempted to show in the
fourteenth chapter that this belief apparently resolves itself into the
following proposition, namely, that all characters whatever, whether
recently acquired or ancient, tend to be transmitted, but that those which
have already long withstood all counteracting influences, will, as a
general rule, continue to withstand them, and consequently be faithfully
transmitted.

_Tendency in Man to carry the practice of Selection to an extreme point._

It is an important principle that in the process of selection man almost
invariably wishes to go to an extreme point. Thus, in useful qualities,
there is no limit to his desire to breed certain {240} horses and dogs as
fleet as possible, and others as strong as possible; certain kinds of sheep
for extreme fineness, and others for extreme length of wool; and he wishes
to produce fruit, grain, tubers, and other useful parts of plants, as large
and excellent as possible. With animals bred for amusement, the same
principle is even more powerful; for fashion, as we see even in our dress,
always runs to extremes. This view has been expressly admitted by fanciers.
Instances were given in the chapters on the pigeon, but here is another:
Mr. Eaton, after describing a comparatively new variety, namely, the
Archangel, remarks, "What fanciers intend doing with this bird I am at a
loss to know, whether they intend to breed it down to the tumbler's head
and beak, or carry it out to the carrier's head and beak; leaving it as
they found it, is not progressing." Ferguson, speaking of fowls, says,
"their peculiarities, whatever they may be, must necessarily be fully
developed: a littl