406 PRINCIPLES OF STOCK-BREEDING. 



145 days for ..... 22 



144 " " . . . . .15 



153 " " . . . . 13 



154 " " 7 



156 " u 3 



143 "" 2 



The extremes being 143 and 156 days, and tlie 

 entire period in three-fifths of the flock from 147 to 

 150 days. 1 



In 1814 and 1815 M. Morel de Vinde recorded 

 the period of gestation in 462 ewes as follows : 



153 days in 118 



152 " " 97 



151 " " . . . . . 81 



150 " " . . . . . . 50 



164 "" 42 



149 " " . . . . . 31 



155 " " . . . . . 18 

 148 " " . . . . 7 



156 " " . . . . .6 



157 " " 5 



147 " u . . . . .4 



14G " " . . . . 3 



In more than three-fifths of these ewes the dura- 

 tion of gestation was from 151 to 153 days, or from 

 three to four days longer than in the cases observed 

 by M. Magne, and the extreme periods 146 and 157 

 days are likewise more prolonged. 



These variations in the length of the period in the 

 two flocks may be attributed to a difference in breed, 

 or in the system of management, or possibly to local 

 influences. 8 



1 " Encyclopedic pratique de PAgriculteur," tome x., p. 483. 

 8 Ibid. 



