RESULTS OF CROSSING 197 



RELATIVE INFLUENCE OF SIRE AND DAM 



Much has been written as to the relative influence on 

 the offspring of sire and dam. When both parents have 

 characteristics in common, there appears in the offspring 

 little to indicate that one parent is more prepotent than 

 the other, or that one transmits in a greater degree than 

 the other special organs or specialized characteristics. 

 But when animals of the same genus, but of extremely 

 divergent characteristics, are crossed, as the horse 

 (Equus Caballus) and the ass (Equus Asinus) most 

 interesting results are secured. When the horse is used 

 as the sire, the produce the "hinny" takes on, it is 

 said, more of the outward characteristics of the sire than 

 of the dam. Its ears are smallish, the mane and tail fairly 

 abundant, the foot rounded like that of the horse, and it 

 neighs. The viscera and interal organs appear to be 

 largely inherited from the dam. She is small, so is the 

 hinny, the outward structure adapting itself to the 

 internal organs. If the cross is reversed the jack bred 

 to the mare a mule is the product. Its outward mark- 

 ings and characteristics are like its sire's long ears, 

 short and stubby hair on mane and tail, a stripe over 

 the shoulders, a narrow foot and the sonorous voice of 

 its sire. The outward characteristics of this hybrid are 

 largely from its paternal ancestors; while the internal 

 organs are large, like those of its maternal parent. This 

 being so, the mule is larger than the hinny. In such 

 violent crosses, it is certain that the sire transmits his 

 external organs to the offspring more largely than does 

 the dam; and the dam the internal organs, at least as to 



