466 THE HORSE OF AMERICA. 



intent upon finding something mysterious. For about three- 

 quarters of a century the story, coming from so reputable a 

 source, has been cited in many scientific bodies and accepted by 

 many scientific men and writers without a question or doubt. 

 No writer, so far as I know, has ever attempted to controvert it, 

 and if the facts be well founded it demolishes in its conclusions 

 all the laws of generation, to say nothing of the universal 

 law of heredity. The point to be considered is, whether the first 

 impregnation influences the offspring of subsequent and different 

 impregnations. In other words, whether the children of a widow 

 by her second husband will partake of the characteristics of her 

 first husband. Ribot says "that from the psychological point of 

 view, we are skeptical in regard to this form of heredity. The 

 fact seems to be perfectly out of the order of things/' He then 

 goes on to consider it as though it might be true, and cites any 

 number of the veriest fables in support of it, without ever stop- 

 ping to inquire whether they have any foundation of truth. In 

 every assemblage of breeders brought together for the purpose 

 of discussing how best to breed and rear our domestic animals at 

 a profit, there is 'always somebody to bring in the everlasting 

 story of the mare and the quagga, not because it may have any 

 relevancy to the subject, but it is an opportunity not to be lost 

 to show one's learning. As this story has served the purpose of 

 showing off the learning of so many thousands who never saw it, 

 I will here give it in its original and official form. A communi- 

 cation from the Earl of Morton was read before the Eoyal Society 

 of London, November 23, 1820, and published in "Philosophical 

 Transactions" for 1821, p. 20, and is as follows: 



"I yesterday had an opportunity of observing a singular fact in natural 

 history, which you may, perhaps, deem not unworthy of being communicated 

 to the Royal Society. 



" Some years ago I was desirous of trying the experiment of domesticating 

 the quagga, and endeavored to procure some individuals of that species. I 

 obtained a male; but being disappointed of a female, I tried to breed from the 

 male quagga and a young chestnut mare of seven-eighths Arabian blood, and 

 which had never been bred from; the result was the production of a female 

 hybrid, now five years old, and bearing both in her form and in her color very 

 decided indications of her mixed origin. I subsequently parted with the seven- 

 eighths Arabian mare to Sir Gore Ousley, who has bred from her, by a very 

 fine black Arabian horse. I yesterday morning examined the produce, namely,, 

 a two-year-old filly and a year-old colt. They have the character of the Ara- 

 bian breed as decidedly as can be expected, where fifteen-sixteenths of the 



