frizzled fowls. And after a
time any such abnormal appearance would be carefully preserved, from being
esteemed a sign of the purity and excellence of the breed; for on this
principle the Romans eighteen centuries ago valued the fifth toe and the
white ear-lobe in their fowls.

Thus from the occasional appearance of abnormal characters, though at first
only slight in degree; from the effects of the use and the disuse of parts;
possibly from the direct effects of changed climate and food; from
correlation of growth; from occasional reversions to old and long-lost
characters; from the crossing of breeds, when more than one had once been
formed; but, above all, from unconscious selection carried on during many
generations, there is no insuperable difficulty, to the best of my
judgment, in believing that all the breeds have descended from some one
parent-source. Can any single species be named from which we may reasonably
suppose that all have descended? The _Gallus bankiva_ apparently fulfils
every requirement. I have already given as fair an account as I could of
the arguments in favour of the multiple origin of the several breeds; and
now I will give those in favour of their common descent from _G. bankiva_.

But it will be convenient first briefly to describe all the known
species of Gallus. The _G. Sonneratii_ does not range into the northern
parts of India; according to Colonel Sykes,[372] it presents at
different heights on the Ghauts, two strongly marked varieties, perhaps
deserving to be called species. It was at one time thought to be the
primitive stock of all our domestic breeds, and this shows that it
closely approaches the common fowl in general structure; but its
hackles partially consist of highly peculiar, horny laminae,
transversely banded with three colours; and I have met with no
authentic account of any such character having been observed {234} in
any domestic breed.[373] This species also differs greatly from the
common fowl, in the comb being finely serrated, and in the loins being
destitute of true hackles. Its voice is utterly different. It crosses
readily in India with domestic hens; and Mr. Blyth [374] raised nearly
100 hybrid chickens; but they were tender and mostly died whilst young.
Those which were reared were absolutely sterile when crossed _inter
se_, or with either parent. At the Zoological Gardens, however, some
hybr