SEX. 329 



The predominance of one sex in the offspring of 

 particular animals has been attributed to "prepo- 

 tency." * 



This use of a term that has a definite meaning in 

 regard to the transmission of qualities is objectionable, 

 as it is liable to mislead those who are not aware of 

 the special signification implied in this connection. 

 An animal that is prepotent has a stronger influence 

 than its mate in the transmission of its characters to 

 their offspring. If we say that sex is influenced by 

 prepotency, it might be inferred that the parent con- 

 trolling the dominant characters of the offspring had 

 also a predominant influence in determining sex ; but 

 this is not the case, as many instances have come un- 

 der my observation in which the general characters 

 of a pure-bred male were uniformly stamped upon his 

 offspring out of native and grade animals ; while some 

 of the females would produce more males than fe- 

 males, and others would produce more females than 

 males. The influence of individuals upon sex would, 

 therefore, seem to depend on something that is not 

 included in the ordinary use of the term prepotency. 



There are several other theories in regard to the 

 causes which determine sex that remain to be noticed ; 

 but the material at command will not admit of an ex- 

 tended discussion of their merits. 



" Sir Everard Home believed the ovum or germ 

 previous to impregnation to be of no sex, but so 

 formed as to be equally fitted to become either male 

 or female, and that it is the process of impregnation 

 which marks the sex and forms the generative organs ; 



1 Scientific Fm-mer, 1876, p. 193. 

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