In Devonshire there is a prejudice against white pigs, because it is believed that the sun blisters them when turned out (21/18. Sidney's edition of Youatt on the 'Pig' page 24. I have given analogous facts in the case of mankind in my 'Descent of Man' 2nd edition page 195.); and I knew a man who would not keep white pigs in Kent, for the same reason. The scorching of flowers by the sun seems likewise to depend much on colour; thus, dark pelargoniums suffer most; and from various accounts it is clear that the cloth-of-gold variety will not withstand a degree of exposure to sunshine which other varieties enjoy. Another amateur asserts that not only all dark-coloured verbenas, but likewise scarlets, suffer from the sun: "the paler kinds stand better, and pale blue is perhaps the best of all." So again with the heartsease (Viola tricolor); hot weather suits the blotched sorts, whilst it destroys the beautiful markings of some other kinds. (21/19. 'Journal of Horticulture' 1862 pages 476, 498; 1865 page 460. With respect to the heartsease 'Gardener's Chronicle' 1863 page 628.) During one extremely cold season in Holland all red-flowered hyacinths were observed to be very inferior in quality. It is believed by many agriculturists that red wheat is hardier in northern climates than white wheat. (21/20. 'Des Jacinthes, de leur Culture' 1768 page 53: on wheat 'Gardener's Chronicle' 1846 page 653.) With animals, white varieties from being conspicuous are the most liable to be attacked by beasts and birds of prey. In parts of France and Germany where hawks abound, persons are advised not to keep white pigeons; for, as Parmentier says, "it is certain that in a flock the white always first fall victims to the kite." In Belgium, where so many societies have been established for the flight of carrier-pigeons, white is the one colour which for the same reason is disliked. (20/21. W.B. Tegetmeier 'The Field' February 25, 1865. With respect to black fowls see a quotation in Thompson 'Nat. Hist. of Ireland' 1849 volume 1 page 22.) Prof. G. Jaeger (21/22. 'In Sachen Darwin's contra Wigand' 1874 page 70.) whilst fishing found four pigeons which had been killed by hawks, and all were white; on another occasion he examined the eyrie of a hawk, and the feathers of the pigeons which had been caught were all of a white or yellow colour. On the other hand, it is said that the sea-eagle (Falco ossifragus, Linn.) on the west coast of Ireland picks out the black fowls, so that "the villagers avoid as much as possible rearing birds of that colour." M. Daudin (20/23. 'Bull. de la Soc. d'Acclimat.' tome 7 1860 page 359.), speaking of white rabbits kept in warrens in Russia, remarks that their colour is a great disadvantage, as they are thus more exposed to attack, and can be seen during bright nights from a distance. A gentleman in Kent, who failed to stock his woods with a nearly white and hardy kind of rabbit, accounted in the same manner for their early disappearance.