Note 41 — Chapter XIII · INHERITANCE continued—REVERSION OF ATAVISM.

‘The Poultry Book,’ by Mr. Tegetmeier, 1866, pp. 119, 163. The author, who remarks on the two negatives (‘Journ. of Hort.,’ 1862, p. 325), states that two broods were raised from a Spanish cock and Silver-pencilled Hamburgh hen, neither of which are incubators, and no less than seven out of eight hens in these two broods “showed a perfect obstinacy in sitting.” The Rev. E. S. Dixon (‘Ornamental Poultry,’ 1848, p. 200) says that chickens reared from a cross between Golden and Black Polish fowls, are “good and steady birds to sit.” Mr. B. P. Brent informs me that he raised some good sitting hens by crossing Pencilled Hamburgh and Polish breeds. A cross-bred bird from a Spanish non-incubating cock and Cochin incubating hen is mentioned in the ‘Poultry Chronicle,’ vol. iii. p. 13, as an “exemplary mother.” On the other hand, an exceptional case is given in the ‘Cottage Gardener,’ 1860, p. 388, of a hen raised from a Spanish cock and black Polish hen which did not incubate.