150 SEX OF THE FCETUS. 



have, notwithstanding, retained a hope of one day ascertaining the 

 conditions which cause one sex to be born rather than the other. 

 M. Bory-de-Saint-Vincent has already emitted the bold opinion, 

 that certain organic particles are susceptible of passing with nearly 

 the same facility into the vegetable or animal state. Mr. Edwards 

 thinks he has observed that the molecules of several confervee, and 

 other beings of doubtful nature, may be at will transformed into in- 

 dividuals of either organic kingdom. Finally, there were commu- 

 nicated, in 1825, to the Snciete Philomatique, certain researches 

 which would tend to induce the belief that by modifying in a certain 

 way the influences under which the fecundation and entire repro- 

 duction of insects is eflected, it is possible to occasion the produc- 

 tion either of males or females at pleasure. 



389. The ancient agriculturists were convinced, and country peo- 

 ple still think, that if the north wind prevails, that if the season be 

 dry and cool rather than warm and moist, when goats, sheep and 

 cows are admitted to the males, there will be fewer females pro- 

 duced, than under the influence of a contrary state of the atmos- 

 phere. They are persuaded, moreover, that in order to obtain a 

 larger proportion of males, there is no better plan than to cause the 

 females to be covered by the most vigorous animal of the kind. 

 They therefore take care to choose the most active, the strongest, 

 the youngest and most robust buck, or ram, or bull, or stallion they 

 can And. 



390. Besides, these traditions have been lately subjected to the 

 test of experiment, and fully confirmed by the interesting researches 

 of M. Giron De Bussaringue. Numerous observations have been 

 made by this philanthrophic cultivator, on horses, cows, sheep, birds, 

 &c., for several successive years, and according to all appearance, 

 with the greatest care. Now, they go to show that the stronger the 

 male at the period of fecundation, the greater is the chance of ob- 

 taining males. For instance, in a flock of sheep, those that are first 

 covered produce fewer males than those that come immediately after 

 them, and these many more than the last moiety; for the ram does 

 not appear to enjoy his whole prolific energy until after a certain 

 number of copulations, and afterwards he becomes exhausted, gra- 

 dually losing his strength. 



391. Other reasons still may be cited in support of those above 

 mentioned; pigeons, doves, partridges; and many other birds that 

 unite in couples, during each season of their loves, produce nearly 

 (he same number of males as of females. The gallinaceae, the com- 

 mon fowl, on the contrary, and geese, ducks, turkeys, (fee, where 

 the same male suflices for several females, furnish many more fe- 



