Notes on hybridity : designed as a further supplement to a memoir on that subject in a former number of this journal, being a second letter to the editors of the Charleston Med. Journ. and Review / by Samuel George Morton.

  • Morton, Samuel George, 1799-1851.
Date:
[1851?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on hybridity : designed as a further supplement to a memoir on that subject in a former number of this journal, being a second letter to the editors of the Charleston Med. Journ. and Review / by Samuel George Morton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    particular goats are, for the greatest part, a hybrid offspring, down from the most ancient times, out of the segagrus and ibex, and even, perhaps, from that third Caucasian species, [Capra Caucassica] re- sulting from the various and unnatural blending of these species; a stock, however, which has retained most deeply-impressed characters of the first named parent.—Spicilegia Zoologica, II, p. 49. X. Ovine Hybrids.—The observation of Mr. Blyth, quoted by me on a former occasion, only corroborates the opinion of Prof. Pallas, respecting the mixture of species in the common breed of sheep :— Species factitia domestica, quae apud gentesantiquiorbisnomadicas et agricolas mirum in modura multiplicata, et quia sine dubio primum in primaeva Asiae, alpestri et mari circumscripta patria, a captiva tenera prole Argalidis et Musmonis promiscue educatis primum ortum duxit.*—Zoographia, p. 233. XL In my remarks on the antiquity of some races of dogs,'' I ad- verted to the hounds figured in a hunting scene at Beni Hassan, of the 23d century before Christ, and noticed their resemblance to the modern African bloodhound. On reading Mr. Birch's Observations on the Statistical Table of Karnark/' (p. 56,) I was much pleased to find this hound designated, beyond all question, in a letter of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, to Alexander the Great, in which the former, among other presents to the Macedonian King, sends ninety dogs which hunt men.—Canes diam in homines efferacissimos nonaginta. And that nothing may be necessary in explanation, the Queen further designates them as animals of our country. XII. Prof. Flourens, of the Garden of Plants, has announced a hy- brid between two species of baboon, the Macacus radiatus and M. silenus?\ As this is the first example of the kind, I note it for its sin- gularity; but whether the offspring ended with the first cross, or whether any attempt was made to extend the experiment, I am not informed. XIII. My friend Peter A. Browne, Esq., of this city, having been engaged for several years in examining the wool and hair of animals by the microscope, and his observations having been more numerous than those of any preceding inquirer in the same department, I requested him to furnish me with a brief exposition of his results, and have been most obligingly favoured with the following note : *It is worthy of remark, that this great man did not hesitate to change his opinion when new facts convinced him that he was in error: —'Olim perperam pro Argalidis varietate habui Musmonem, et nunc recanto. fl>e l'instinct des Animaux, p. 83. He calls those animals by their common names—Bonvet chinois et le Macaque proprement dit. Of the specific name of the latter, I am not quite certain, but suppose it to be the M. sihnns.