MAMMALS, 599 



thies and preferences are frequently exhibited, and much 

 more commonly by the female than by the male. This 

 being the case, it is improbable that the unions of quadru- 

 peds in a state of nature should be left to mere chance. It 

 is much more probable that the females are allured or 

 excited by particular males who possess certain characters 

 in a higher degree than other males; but what these char- 

 acters are we can seldom or never discover with certainty. 



