95 



OF PUPPIES. 



this sudden favourite still haunted the bitch and for weeks 

 after she pined excessively, and obstinately refused mter- 

 course with any other doff. At length, ^°;^''''''^'''IZ 

 by a regular setter ; but when she whelped, the Doctor 

 was mortified with the sight of young ^^ich he perc^ved 

 bore evident marks (particularly in colour) of the impressKm 

 received by the cur, and they were accordingly destroyed 

 The same occurred in all her future puppings: ^nv^'^'^ly;''^ 

 breed was tainted by the recollection of her attachment to 



this ill-bred favourite. i,„„w 



The practical inferences that may be drawn from a know- 

 ledge of this curious anomaly in the animal economy, are 

 that in very select breeds too much care cannot be taken to 

 render the choice of the male agreeable to the female , and 

 also, that where a bitfh of a very valuable breed has been 

 long habituated to any favourite male companion it is not 

 intended she should be allowed to breed by, that it is advisa- 

 ble to remove such favourite some time before the oestrum o^ 

 heat of the bitch is likely to come on, which will prevent the 

 disappointment that might otherwise occur. 



Having received no such mental impressions, and the pro- 

 cess of gestation or pregnancy meeting with no other inter- 

 ruption, the produce of a connection between dogs of a simi- 

 lar breed usually exhibits traits of individual resemblance to 

 each, united with the characteristic marks common to the 

 breed in general. When the parents are of different breeds 

 the varying outlines of each are usually softened and blended 

 in the progeny, in nearly equal proportionst. But this d.vi- 



* When dogs of different breeds are brought together, *" P^-y'- 

 .cidtobeacrol. Thus, pointers are sometimes cro«e^ w.th foxhounds to 

 increl the speed and ardour. The effect of these crosses ts retamed to .he 

 sevrnThofeighth generation: among turf sportsmen it is supposed to exrst, 

 in horses to the twentieth successive descendant. 



+ The Mendings of the individual character of each parent are .llustrated 

 bAJb^rousanimi. How easily traced, and yet how "^ded 'n» a w o e, 

 a e tie characters of the horse and ass, as observed m therr ^j"^^^^ 

 Hybrids also completely disprove the opm.on some phys.ologrsts have 



