B. V.] THE HISTORY Ol 1 ANIMALS. 113 



sometimes copulate when they are four months old, so as to 

 have young and nurse them at six months old, and boars 

 sometimes reach puberty at ten months old, and continue 

 good to three years old. 



6. The bitch reaches puberty within a year after birth, 

 and so does the dog, and sometimes this takes place at 

 the end of eight months, but more frequently in the 

 male than in the female. The period of gestation is 

 sixty days, or one or two, or perhaps three days more, but 

 never less than sixty days, or if they produce young in a 

 less time, it never comes to perfection. The bitch is ready 

 for sexual intercourse again in six months, but never sooner. 

 The horse reaches puberty in both sexes at two years old, 

 and is capable of reproduction, but its offspring at that age 

 are small and weakly. For the most part, sexual inter- 

 course begins at three years of age, and the colts continue to 

 improve from that period till they are twenty years old. 

 The male is useful till he is thirty years old, so that he can 

 beget during almost the whole of his life, for the horse 

 generally lives five-and-thirty years, and the mare more than 

 forty, and a horse has been known to live seventy-five years. 



7. The ass reaches puberty in both sexes at the age of 

 thirty months ; they rarely, however, produce young till 

 they are three years, or three years and six months old. 

 But it has been known to be pregnant and bring up its 

 young within the year. The cow a] so has been known to 

 produce young and rear it within the year after birth, which 

 grew to the ordinary size, and no more. 1 



8. These are the periods of puberty in these animals. 

 The seventieth year in man, and the fiftieth in woman, 

 is the latest period of reproduction, and this happens 

 rarely, for only a few have had children at this time of life. 

 Sixty-five is generally the boundary in one sex, and forty- 

 five in the other. The sheep produces young till it is eight 

 years old, and, if well treated, until it is eleven, though the 

 act of copulation is continued in both sexes during the 

 whole period of life. 



9. Pat goats are rarely productive, wherefore they com- 

 pare barren vines with barren goats, but they are pro- 



1 This probably means " to such a size as might be expected from 

 the early age of the parent." 



