148 OBSTETRICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 



two lambs in the spring of 1864 ; in 1865 three, all alive ; i866 four, all living ; and in 

 1876 five, four of which lived, and were in good health, BelVs Weekly Messenger (June 

 29, 1844), states that a farmer in Kent had a Ewe which dropped the extraordinary num- 

 l)er of six lambs, four of which it reared, and the other two were brought up by hand. 

 The previous season the same Ewe produced four lambs, all of which were reared and 

 turned out well. According to the Chester Chro7iicle (April ii, 1868), a farmer at Otley, 

 Yorkshire, had a Ewe, five years old, which had produced fifteen lambs. When one 

 year old it had two, at two years four, at three years two, at four years four, and at five 

 years three. The Salopian (April 6, 1872) speaks of a Ewe at Wem, Salop, which gave 

 birth at one time to five lambs the i^revious year, and these were all reared, and in this 

 year six were born, five of which lived. The Chester Chronicle (April 19, 1873) alludes 

 to a Ewe which produced an annual average of three lambs for seven years ; the animal 

 itself was one of three. The Shrewsbury Chronicle (June 26, 1874) reports that a Shrop- 

 shire Ewe lambed twice in six months, producing twins each time; and the Field (May 

 12, 1873) gives an instance of a Ewe having five lambs, one of which died in a few days, 

 l)ut the others did well. The Oswestry Advertiser (October 2, 1872) instances a Ewe 

 which gave nine lambs in two seasons — three and six — all fine lambs and in perfect 

 health. And in the Cambrian newspaper for the same month, it is mentioned that " Mr. 

 J. M. Harding, of the Town-Hill Farm, Swansea, has just had an extraordinary piece of 

 good luck in lambing. From a small flock of seventeen Ewes, he has had no less than 

 thirty-seven lambs, all alive and doing well. Every Ewe has brought ' doubles,^ and 

 three have brought ' triplets.' It is not only the number of lambs, but they are all strong 

 and healthy. . . . There is no reason to doubt that the remainder of the flock will 

 be equally prolific." 



In the A^ottingham yournal for 1846, it is stated that a Ewe in that locality brought 

 forth five lambs at a birth, all alive and likely to continue so. 



Mr. Litt, already quoted, mentions the case of five Ewes which had been attacked 

 with symptoms of brain disorder shortly before lambing, and soon died. Each, when 

 opened, was found to have four lambs, making twenty in all. 



The Lytm Advertiser for February, 1872, states that a Ewe in that locality lambed on 

 the nth of that month, the lamb living twenty-four hours : again on June 28th, and on 

 January 21st, 1872, bringing forth twin lambs on the last occasion. The Ewe thus 

 lambed three times in a year and ten days. 



In 1875 ^^- Robert P. Greenhill, of Elmbridge, near Droitwich, was in possession of 

 a Ewe, seven years old, which had produced no fewer than 20 lambs — a small flock. In 

 the first year she gave birth to 2 ; in the second, i ; third, 3; fourth, 3 ; fifth, 4 sixth, 

 4 ; and seventh, 3. 



And at Shaftesbury, it is recorded in May, 1876, that a farmer had some Ewes fatting, 

 and a neighbor's ram got with them; consequently, 13 of them proved to be in lamb, 

 and produced no less than 31 lambs, all born alive (a few dead since), as follows : — 



I single .... .... .... .... .... I 



-8 twins .... .... .... 16 



3 threes .... .... 9 



I five 5 



13 ewes. 31 lambs. 



Other and similar instances might be quoted. 



It may be remarked, that extraordinary fecundity in Sheep is seldom 

 observed in the highest-bred races, which are usually uniparous ; it ap- 

 pears to pertain more to the common breeds. Not only this, but certain 

 years are more remarkable than others for double, treble, and quadruple 

 births in" this species. 



Goat. 



The Goat is generally considered a uniparous animal, but it would ap- 

 pear that this is a mistake, as double and triple births may be said to be 

 the rule ; not at all unfrequently four are produced. But usually with the 

 three or four at a birth, one or more are feeble or born dead. It is looked 

 upon as exceptional for only one kid to be produced at a birth. 



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