SUPERFETATION 135 



I was called by a farmer who reported that 

 he had a mare which had foaled and which was 

 not behaving properly. Upon my arrival about 

 nine p. m., I found a black, twelve-year-old mare 

 exhibiting symptoms of mild colic and treated 

 her accordingly. Vaginal exploration revealed 

 conditions normally present after parturition. 

 The owner then related the following history: 

 The mare had been purchased by him five months 

 before, and was said to be in foal from a horse 

 or jack, she having been bred to both. She had 

 been served first by the jack, and in order to in- 

 sure conception was returned, some three weeks 

 later, to the town where the jack was kept. In 

 the meantime, however, the jack had been re- 

 moved and the owner allowed the mare to be 

 served by a percheron stallion. So far as the 

 present owner knows no subsequent service was 

 had and the opportunities for it seem very re- 

 mote, judging from the conditions under which 

 most farm mares are kept. 



A few hours prior to my call the mare gave 

 uneventful birth to two colts, one an immature 

 mule and shortly after a well-formed full-term 



