farmers' miscellany. 281 



The above cases related by Home, Haller, Beecher, and similar 

 (ones by others, are attempted to be explained on the principle, that 

 the connexion with the male produces a physical impression, not 

 merely upon the ova which are ripe for impregnation, but upon 

 others which are at the time immature. This explanation will not 

 ipply, however, to the case of the cat, related by Milner, nor to 

 Lhe following. Mr. Boswell* says, " one of the most intelligent 

 areeders I ever met with, in Scotland, Mr. Mustard, of Angus, told 

 ne that one of his cows chanced to come in season, while pastur- 

 ng on a field which was bounded by that of one of his neighbors 

 j)ut of which an ox jumped, and went with the cow until she was 

 |)rought home to the bull. The ox was white with black spots. 

 Old horned. Mr. Mustard had not a horned beast in his posses- 

 ion, nor one with any white on it. Nevertheless, the produce of 

 he following spring was a black and white calf, with horns." 



Now, if this be true, as above stated, and I am not aware that 

 ,t has been denied, it shows that a strong impression made upon 

 |he imagination even of so dull a beast as a cow during heat, can 

 reduce an evident effect upon her calf. If careful observations 

 fere made it is highly probable similar results would be obtained 

 irequently. 



Mr. Blaine, as quoted by Walker,t relates two cases occurring 

 1 the dog tribe. He says, " I had a pug bitch, whose constant 

 lompanion was a small and almost white spaniel dog, of Lord 

 tivers' breed, of which she was very fond. When it became ne- 

 essary to separate her, on account of her oestrum, {heat;) from 

 ^s, dog, and to confine her with one of her own kind, she pined 

 jxcessively ; and notwithstanding her situation, it was some time 

 jefore she would admit the attentions of the pug dog placed with 

 er. At length, however, she did so j impregnation followed ; 

 ,nd, at the usual period, she brought forth five pug puppies, one 

 jf which was elegantly white, and more slender than the others, 

 ■he spaniel was soon afterwards given away, but the impression 

 :mained -, for at two subsequent litters, (which were all she after- 



ards had,) she presented me with a white young one, which the 

 iJiciers know to be a very rare occurrence." 



• Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, vol i., p. 28. 

 t Walker on intermarriage, p. 246-7. 

 VOL. I. — NO. II. E 



