460 British Dogs. 



stantly undergoing preparations, being, as it were, wound up to the highest 

 tension his system will bear, is not so likely to get good stock as another 

 equally good dog of the same strain that has been allowed to live more 

 naturally. Just so in breeding greyhounds. I would rather breed 

 from an own brother than from a great winner who had to stand 

 numerous trainings, if the brother was a fair dog, and had not been 

 hard run or often severely trained, than I would from the winner 

 himself. 



Impregnation. On this subject Elaine observes, that in some cases it 

 takes place at the first connection, at others not until the second, third, 

 or fourth, and states that in one instance he had decided proofs that 

 impregnation did not ensue until the seventh warding, and he recom- 

 mended, to ensure prolific intercourse, that the dogs should be left 

 together for some days, adding that this course is specially likely to be 

 necessary in the case of delicate and pampered animals. 



I think it may be stated as the general practice of those who place 

 their stud dogs for hire at the service of the public to allow two visits at 

 an interval of a day or two. It is also a common occurrence that the 

 animals are perfect strangers to each other, and are never together except 

 during the necessary time. 



Probably these facts, taken together, supply a sounder reason in 

 accounting for the large percentage of disappointments owners of brood 

 bitches meet with than, as is done, by loosely referring to the season as the 

 cause. I confess I do not know how the phrase and the belief it expresses^ 

 "This has been a bad breeding season," originated, but it is very 

 common, and appears to me to be baseless if it implies that the meteoro- 

 logical conditions of the seasons influence impregnation and the prolificacy 

 of the bitch. 



As opposed to such an opinion, in support of which I have never heard 

 a reason advanced, I am rather disposed to credit these frequent dis- 

 appointments to ignoring, or at least not fully complying with, the laws 

 and conditions under which nature has ordained that reproduction in the 

 dog shall take place. That one or two visits only should in all cases be 

 held as sufficient, seems to be contradicted by facts however convenient 

 it may be to owners of stud-dogs, who, of course, have an eye to fees, 

 and natually wish to utilise to the fullest the fee earner. 



Again, we must remember that not only are the organs more directly 



