70 PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 



once, but will end in vexation, if attempted to be pro- 

 longed into a line." 



Mr. Christian, in his essay, supports the view, that 

 the offspring bears the greatest resemblance to that 

 parent whether male or female, which has exerted the 

 greatest sway of generative influence in the formation 

 of the foetus, '^that any hypothesis which would assign 

 a superiority, or set limits to the influence of either 

 sex in the product of generation is unsound and inad- 

 missible,'^ and he thus concludes — '' as therefore it is 

 unsafe to trust to the qualities of any individual ani- 

 mal, male or female, in improving stock, the best bred 

 and most perfect animals of both sexes should be se- 

 lected and employed in propagation ; there being, in 

 short, no other certain or equally efficacious means of 

 establishing or preserving an eligible breed.'' 



Mr. Dallas, in his essay, starts with the idea that the 

 seminal fluid of the male invests the ovum, the forma- 

 tion of which he ascribes to the female ; and he sup- 

 ports the opinion, that where external appearance is 



concerned, the influence of the male will be discovered ; 

 but in what relates to internal qualities, the offspring 



will take most from the female. He concludes thus : — 

 ^' When color, quality of fleece, or outward form is 

 wanted, the male may be most depended on for these ; 

 but when milk is the object, when disposition, hardi- 



