70 QU AllT ERL Y JO U RX AL. 



equally useless for breeding. The farmer that raises a free martin 

 for a breeder will, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, be disap- 

 pointed in his expectations. 



If these conclusions are correct, they afford a most singular 

 anomaly to the usual order of generation. Why twin heifers or 

 twin bulls should be fruitful, and a free martin barren, is utterly 

 inexplicable upon any known or supposable principle of physio- 

 logy. Yet, strange as it may appear, observation would seem to 

 establish the fact as a general rule, and we are obliged to admit 

 it, notwithstanding our unbelief and its apparent inconsistency. 

 The subject is well worthy of further investigation, and farmers 

 having free martins born on their farms would confer an especial 

 favor upon many others, if they would have them carefully ex- 

 amined, after death, by some person acquainted with the natural 

 structure of the organs of generation. It is not necessary to keep 

 the animal until grown, if this is not convenient, as the organiza- 

 tion of the parts can be sufficiently seen in the j^oungest calf. 



There have been instances of the cow producing three and even 

 four calves at one birth ; but there is, I believe, no mention in 

 these cases of the procreative power of the female. I examined 

 one cow whose womb contained four calves ; all of them were 

 females, finely formed, well developed, and bearing a close resem- 

 blance to each other. In each of these calves the organs of gene- 

 ration were perfect ; and had the calves been born and reared, 

 there was no anatomical reason why they should not all have 

 proved good breeders. 



I also met with two heifers which were barren. In one there 

 was a fibrous plug, closing the mouth of the womb, and which, 

 according to the prevalent opinion of generation, would necessa- 

 rily prevent impregnation. 



In the other, the womb had two mouths, instead of one. Yet 

 this does not necessarily cause unfruitfulness, for I subsequently 

 dissected a cow whose womb contained a calf, and yet had two 

 mouths. 



There are many other interesting topics connected with these 

 investigations, which I may resume on some other occasion. 



?!ewbur^h, January 1st, 1845. 



