as we shall immediately see, is a very different consideration from the
strength or weakness of inheritance. (14/1. See 'Youatt on Cattle' pages 92,
69, 78, 88, 163; and 'Youatt on Sheep' page 325. Also Dr. Lucas 'L'Hered.
Nat.' tome 2 page 310.) It has often been observed that breeds of animals
inhabiting wild and mountainous countries cannot be permanently modified by
our improved breeds; and as these latter are of modern origin, it has been
thought that the greater antiquity of the wilder breeds has been the cause of
their resistance to improvement by crossing; but it is more probably due to
their structure and constitution being better adapted to the surrounding
conditions. When plants are first subjected to culture, it has been found
that, during several generations, they transmit their characters truly, that
is, do not vary, and this has been attributed to ancient characters being
strongly inherited: but it may with equal or greater probability be consequent
on changed conditions of life requiring a long time for their cumulative
action. Notwithstanding these considerations, it would perhaps be rash to deny
that characters become more strongly fixed the longer they are transmitted;
but I believe that the proposition resolves itself into this,--that characters
of all kinds, whether new or old, tend to be inherited, and that those which
have already withstood all counteracting influences and been truly
transmitted, will, as a general rule, continue to withstand them, and
consequently be faithfully inherited.

PREPOTENCY IN THE TRANSMISSION OF CHARACTER.

When individuals, belonging to the same family, but distinct enough to be
recognised, or when two well-marked races, or two species, are crossed, the
usual result, as stated in the previous chapter, is, that the offspring in the
first generation are intermediate between their parents, or resemble one
parent in one part and the other parent in another part. But this is by no
means the invariable rule; for in many cases it is found that certain