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01 - Variations Under Domestication 01-05 -Character of Domestic Varieties 10 When we look to the hereditary varieties or races of our domestic animals and plants, and compare them with closely allied species, we generally perceive in each domestic race, as already remarked, less uniformity of character than in true species.
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Domestic races often have a somewhat monstrous character; by which I mean, that, although differing from each other, and from other species of the same genus, in several trifling respects, they often differ in an extreme degree in some one part, both when compared one with another, and more especially when compared with the species under nature to which they are nearest allied. With these exceptions (and with that of the perfect fertility of varieties when crossed,- a subject hereafter to be discussed), domestic races of the same species differ from each other in the same manner as do the closely-allied species of the same genus in a state of nature, but the differences in most cases are less in degree.

This must be admitted as true, for the domestic races of many animals and plants have been ranked by some competent judges as the descendants of aboriginally distinct species, and by other competent judges as mere varieties.
01 - Variations Under Domestication 01-05 -Character of Domestic Varieties 20 If any well marked distinction existed between a domestic race and a species, this source of doubt would not so perpetually recur.

It has often been stated that domestic races do not differ from each other in character of generic value.

It can be shown that this statement is not correct; but naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value; all such valuations being at present empirical.

When it is explained how genera originate under nature, it will be seen that we have no right to expect often to find generic amount of difference in our domesticated races.