FISHES ANP FISHING. 7^ 



Farmers' Club, held on 4tli Harch, 1854, Mr. Orton, 

 of Sunderland, read a paper on the '* Physiology of 

 Breeding." He stated, *' that in the reproduction 

 of the animal species there is no casual blending of 

 the parts and qualities of the two parents, but that 

 each parent contributes to the formation of certain 

 structures, and to the development of certain qualities ; 

 and maintains, that the male parent chiefly deter- 

 mines the outward structures and locomotive powers 

 of the offspring, e. g, the brain, nerves, organs of 

 sense, bones, muscles, limbs, and skin; while the 

 female parent chiefly determines the internal struc- 

 tures and the general size and quality, mainly fur- 

 nishing the vital forgans ; e. g. the heart, lungs, 

 glands, and digestive organs, and giving tone and 

 character to the vital functions of growth, nutrition, 

 and secretion/* 



Yet he considers that the male is not wholly with- 

 out influence on the internal organs, and vital func- 

 tions, or the female wholly without influence on 

 the external organs, and locomotive powers of the 

 offspring. 



This he illustrates by the example of the male ass 

 and the mare, and the horse and the she ass. 



I am not about to follow this scientific gentleman 

 into his very interesting reasoning, but feel con- 

 firmed thereby, and instructed in a theory I had 



