160 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OP 



objector must avouch the fact that, in the state of nature, there. 

 is no restraint, and that such connections are and must be cou- 

 linnally taking place." 



THE ADVANTAGES OF IN-AND-IN BREEDING. 



" And, if there are advantages arising from the having placed 

 in the line of the direct ancestry, near and remote, of our flocks, a 

 great number of approved individuals, both male and female, as 

 has been seen, it follows that there must be far greater advantages 

 arising from the having the same one individual — if he be of 

 marked superiority — placed in that line the greatest possible 

 number of titnes. This is done by " in-and-in breeding," and is 

 the object of it. Now it is easier to find this one unsurpassed 

 individual than to find many ; for, ip the many, there will most 

 certainly be one to be preferred to all the rest. Then, under 

 the operation or the principle of atavism, the chances that the 

 resemblance of such unequalled ancestor will be obtained, must 

 be in the ratio of the number of times that he occurs in the 

 ascending lines. Hence, greater uniformity and greater excel- 

 lence in all the progeny. An apt illustration of this is found 

 in the frequent occurrence of the Godolphin Arabian, in the 

 pedigrees of all our best blooded horses carried back to him as 

 their founder." 



PARTURITION. 



- SIGNS OF LABOR OR PARTURITION. 



At the end of 270 days from the period of a cow's impreg- 

 nation, some enlargement of the udder will be perceived, and 

 the labii pudendi (external parts of the genital organs), are 

 relaxed, and appear tumefied, and a sort of glistening discharge 

 issues from the same. The animal is also restless, and appears 

 desirous of avoiding the society of other cows ; her respirations 

 are somewhat quickened ; she becomes nervous and irritable, 

 and. labor pains set in, occurring at stated periods, until at last 



