Race or mongrel - Alfred Schultz

A brief history of the rise and fall of the ancient races of the earth: a theory that the fall of nations is due to intermarriage with alien stocks: a demonstration that a nation's strength is due to racial purity: a prophecy that America will sink to early decay unless immigration is rigorously restricted

In scientific usage the result of a fertile cross between two distinct species is called a hybrid; the result of a fertile cross between two varieties of the same species is called a mongrel.

As, however, the distinction between species and varieties is one, not of kind, but of degree, varieties being species in the nascent stage and species having aboriginally existed as varieties, the distinction between. hybrid and mongrel is also one of the degrees.

The Latin word " hybrida " is derived from the Greek "" an insult or outrage, an outrage on nature, a mongrel. In nature the hybrid is very rare, species shun crossing, instinctively. In captivity, the crossing of animals, not of the same variety, is sometimes brought about by man, by the employment of ruse or force. From the study of biology, we learn that — Crossing in nature is extremely rare.

Animals as closely related as hare and rabbit rarely breed together. When species are crossed^ fertilization rarely follows. Sometimes there is a physical impossibility preventing the male element from reaching the female ovule, as is the case with a plant having a pistil too long for the pollen tubes to reach the ovarium. It has also been observed that, when the pollen of one species is placed on the stigma of another species, though the pollen tubes protrude, they do not penetrate the stigmatic surface. The male element may reach the female element, but be incapable of causing an embryo to be developed.

A great many of the few embryos which develop after crossing perish at a very early period. The early death of the embryo is a frequent cause of the sterility of first crosses. Of the very few embryos that are normal at delivery a great many die within the first days of their life.

Darwin writes: "Mr Salter has given the result of an examination of about five hundred eggs produced from various crosses between three species of Gallus and their hybrids; the majority of these eggs had been fertilized, and in the majority of the fertilized eggs the embryos had either been partially developed and had then perished, or had become nearly mature, but the young chickens had been unable to break through the shell. Of the chickens which were born, more than four-fifths died within the first few days or, at latest, weeks, without any obvious cause, apparently from mere inability to live; so that from five hundred eggs only twelve chickens were reared,"

Many of the very few hybrids that are viable are sterile, as the mule. Of the very few hybrids that are not sterile, some breed with the parent species, this offspring revert to the parent species, the hybrid disappears. Others of the very small number of fertile hybrids breed interest only. The very small number of these hybrids causes very close inbreeding, with its consequences, — degeneration, sterility, and death. Nature destroys the mongrel.

In the development of species the accumulative action of Selection, whether applied methodically and quickly or unconsciously and slowly but more effectually, has been the predominant power, the importance of crossing being insignificant (Darwin).

What J s said of the hybrid is true of the mongrel, the mongrel of the domestic animals being the only exception. Domesticated animals, however, bear a similar relation to animals in nature that plants propagated by cuttings, buds, and so forth, bear to plants propagated by seed. With plants propagated by cuttings, buds, etc., the importance of crossing is immense; for the cultivator may here disregard the extreme variability both of hybrids and of mongrels and their sterility, but plants not propagated by seed are of no importance in the development of species.

Their endurance is only temporary (Darwin). Domestic animals exist as long as man breeds them, feeds them, or fancies them. They lead no life of their own. Turn the domestic animals loose, leave them to nature, and in ten years no mongrel will exist. From the foregoing considerations we derive this conclusion: Nature prevents the development of the mongrel; in the few cases in which nature has for the time being successfully been outraged and a mongrel produced, nature degrades that mongrel mercilessly and in time stamps it out.

Race or mongrel - Alfred Schultz - (1908) PDF-ebook