CHAPTER VI 



TELEGONY AND OTHER DISPUTED QUESTIONS 



''"The mysterious wireless telegraphy of ante-natal life." J. W. 

 BALLANTYNE. 



i. What is meant by Telegony. 



2. The Classic Case of Lord Morton's Mare. 



3. Representative Alleged Cases of Telegony. 



4. Ewart's Penycuik Experiments. 



5. Suggestions which explain away Telegony. 



6. Suggestions as to how Telegonic Influence might be 

 effected. 



7. A Statistical Suggestion. 



8. The Widespread Belief in the Occurrence of Telegony. 



9. An Instructive Family History 

 10. A Note on Xenia. 

 ii. Maternal Impressions. 



i. What is meant by Telegony 



THE term "telegony " is applied to doubtful, certainly rare, but, 

 if true, very remarkable cases where an offspring resembles a 

 sire which, though not its father, had previously paired with its 

 mother. More theoretically expressed, telegony is the supposed 

 influence of a previous sire on offspring subsequently borne by 

 the same female to a different sire. The ovum or the embryo 

 is supposed to be influenced by the mother's previous impregna- 

 tion or by the consequences thereof. 



