THE FORM OF ANIMALS. ^ 25 



the body ; arid as the shape and size of the chesi depend 

 upon that of the lungs, hence arises the remarkably largt 

 chest, which is produced by crossing with females tha* 

 are larger than the males. 



The practice according to this principle of improve^ 

 ment, however, ought to be limited ; for, it may be car- 

 ried to such an extent, that the bulk of the body might 

 be so disproportioned to the size of the limbs as to pre- 

 vent the animal from moving with sufficient facility. 



In animals where activity is required, this practice 

 should not be extended so far as in those which are 

 required for the food of man. 



On the Character of Animals. 



By character in animals is here meant, those external 

 fcppearances by which the varieties of the same species 

 are distinguished. 



The characters of both parents are observed in their off- 

 spring ; but that of the male more frequently predominates!* 



♦[To the contrary of this, as to Hor*=<'s, T. B. Johnson, author of the 

 Shooter's Companion, and a writer ol high authority, says : " although 

 it is a maxim universally admitted, that an equal degree of precaution 

 should be used in respect to the Horse, it is doubly and trebly necessary 

 with the mare — because strict observation has demonstrated that nearly 

 or full two out of every three foals, display in their appearance more of 

 the dam than the sire ,• and that there are more fillies than colts fallen 

 every year will not admit of a doubt." 



This positively asserted predominance of females over males, may be 

 accounted for on the principle established by very numerous experiments 

 in France with sheep, if not with other animals — on the results of which 

 the experimenter, whose name is not remembered, based and confidently 

 asserted his theory, that the sex of the offspring, in all cases, depends 

 much on the comparative vigour of the parents. By putting old ewes 

 to young rams in the prime of life, he never failed to get a large pro- 

 portion of ram lambs ; and, vice versa, when young ewes in their prime 

 were put to a ram lamb, which had not yet attained his full growth and 

 development, or to old ones far gone in the down-hill of life, then a very 

 large proportion were females. A great number of experiments were 

 given corroborative of the doctrine. Is it not reasonable to suppose that 

 «n influence sufficient to control the sex, would have an effect on exte.>' 



