98 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



parent — and on the other hand, that the constitution, the chest and 

 vital organs, and the forehand generally more frequently follow the 

 female." 



Dr. Carpenter, the highest authority in Physiology, says "it has 

 long been a prevalent idea that certain parts of the organism of the 

 ofispring are derived from the male, and certain other parts from 

 the female parent ; and although no universal rule can be laid down 

 upon this point, yet the independent observations which have been 

 made by numerous practical breeders of domestic animals seem to 

 establish that such a tendency has a real existence ; the characters 

 of the animal portion of the fabric being especially (but not exclu- 

 sively) derived from the male parent, and those of the organic 

 apparatus being in like manner derived from the female parent. 

 The former will be chiefly manifested in the external appearance, 

 in the general configuration of the head and limbs, in the organs of 

 the senses (including the skin) and in the locomotive apparatus ; 

 whilst the latter show themselves in the size of the body (which is 

 primarily determined by the development of the viscera contained 

 in the trunk) and in the mode in which the vital functions are 

 performed." 



On the whole it may be said that the evidence both from obser- 

 vation and the testimony of the best practical breeders goes to 

 show that each parent usually contributes certain portions of the 

 organization to the offspring, and that each has a modifyiug in- 

 fluence upon the other. Facts also show that the same parent 

 does not always contribute the same portions, but that the order is 

 reversed. Now, as no operation of nature is by accident, but by 

 virtue of laiu, there must be fixed laws hero, and there must also 

 be, at times, certain influences at work to modify the action of these 

 laws. Where animals are of distinct species, or of distinct breeds, 

 transmission is usually found to be in accordance Avith the rule 

 above indicated, i. e. the male gives mostly the outward form and 

 locomotive system, and the female chiefly the interior s^'^stem, 

 constitution, &c. Where the parents are of the same breed, it 

 appears that the portions contributed by each are governed in large 

 measure by the condition of each in regard to age and vigor, or by 

 virtue of individual potency or superiority of physical endowment. 



This polencij or power of transmission seems to be legitimately 

 connected with liigh breeding, or the concentration of fixed qualities 

 obtained by continued descent for many generations from such only 



