284 BREEDING AND CROSSING. 



marks of the skunk upon the foetus. This is only an analo- 

 gous instance, with results quite as singular, as observed in 

 the offspring of the human species, produced by highly ex- 

 citing circumstances during pregnancy. 



The following will show that the male exercises a mate- 

 rial influence also upon the form, indicated most strongly, 

 however, in general, in the progeny of the first cross. Mr. 

 Boswell, in his essay on the subject in question, published 

 in the Quai'tcrJy Journal of Agriculture, says — "Being fully 

 convinced of the power of the male on the offspring, I have 

 always accounted it as a loss to put a bad male to a high- 

 bred female, and have never done so. I have, however, 

 observed, where the country people have purchased high- 

 bred sheep at any sale of mine, and bred from them with 

 the ordinary rams, that the breed very quickly got bad ; 

 whereas, when a Bake well ram had been purchased, I have 

 seen a most remarkable change in the quality of the sheep ; 

 and, in several instances, where the ewes had been tolerable 

 from which they had been bred, the cross was so nearly re- 

 sembling a New Leicester, as to deceive any one who was 

 not a thorough judge." 



A writer observes — " The progeny of most domesticated 

 animals often bear a striking resemblance to the grandmother 

 or grandfather, and it is well known that the desired changes 

 cannot be effected on a. breed, or that the desired breed can- 

 not be produced, till the third, fourth, or even the fifth cross- 

 ing, so that the importance of having few defects in a stock 

 will readily be admitted, seeing their debasing consequences 

 are carried through whole generations, and that, though ab- 

 sent in one remove, yet that they may appear in the next." 



As an instance to show how these " debasing consequen- 

 ces " may be prolonged through defect of the male, the fol- 

 lowing is stated, having occurred with the writer's personal 

 knowledge : — The father of the writer, nearly twenty years 

 ago, purchased a high grade Saxon ram distinguished for 

 good form and fineness of wool, but was objectionable on ac- 

 count of the openness of his fleece and shortness of its sta- 

 ple ; he was used, however, for several years. The ram ex- 

 hibited a peculiarity about his eyes, which protruded so far, 

 as to give him a ludicrous aspect, and consequently he re- 

 ceived the soubriquet of " bulge-eye ;" in addition to this, his 

 pate was entirely bare of wool, and nothing but the fineness 

 of his fleece induced his usage in the flock. But after a fair 



