UriiATlUX OF riiKGXAXCy. IM 



It is also generally admitted that pieginincy is of longer duration in 

 the Ass than the Ivjuine species — from 358 to 385 days. 



In a stud-book kept in tliis country, a record is given of observations, 

 from which it appears that the shortest period of gestation in the Ass 

 in eight carefully-recorded entries was 3G5 days, and the longest 385 

 days, of which there were two cases. The mean period was 374 days. 

 The males and females were foreign. When the female Ass has been 

 covered by the horse Stallion, the period of gestation is not so long. 



Coir. 



It is commonly believed that the Cow is pregnant for the same length 

 of time as woman, and this is to a certain extent correct, so far as the 

 average period is concerned ; but there are variations which must be 

 taken into account, and which will be apparent if we look at the pub- 

 lished results of various observers. Of 1,062 observations made at the 

 .\gricultural School of Saulsaie, and by Blaine, Tessier, Grille, and 

 Fiirstenberg, we find that 15 were pregnant for less than 241 days, 52 

 from 241 to 270 days. 119 from 271 to 280 days, 544 from 271 to 300 

 days, 230 from 281 to 2'JO days, 70 from 290 to 300 days, and 32 beyond 

 301 days. So that it would appear that, with the Cow, parturition is 

 very rare before the 241st day ; not so rare after the 300th day ; some- 

 what common from the 240th to the 270th day ; and quite common 

 between the 280th and the 290th day ; the average duration of preg- 

 nancy being about 283 days. Colin gives an average of from 280 to 

 285 days, though birth may occur at the 250th to the 300th day, and 

 tven later. 



Dieterichs gives the shortest period as from 210 to 226 days ; tlie 

 longest between 326 and 353 days — average, 286 days ; while Bau- 

 meister and MneW give the shortest they observed as 240 days, and the 

 longest 330 days — average, 285 days. The average of the Bernese 

 Simmenthaler breed at Hohenheim was 280^ days : male Calves 283 

 days, and cow Calves 278 days. 



Earl Spencer has furnished notes of 764 observations, which would 

 go to prove that no Calf can be born alive before the 220th, nor after 

 the 313th day, and that it is impossible to rear those born before the 

 242nd day. Those births which occurred before the 260th day he con- 

 sidered as decidedly premature, while those which took place after 300 

 days were classed as irregular. In 314 instances, 310 calved after the 

 285th day, three went on to the 306tli day, and one to the .'^13th. The 

 average given is 284 to 285 days. Among the Calves born between the 

 290th and 300th day, there was a decided preponderance of males ; all 

 those produced after the 300th day were females. 



with foal on the Range by scnih Horse-s, and have only kept the time of those that I 

 was certain of as to time of lireeding. The average number of dayii of ffestation for 

 nineteen Mare.s l)red in April is ;i4.S daya ; average for twenty-three MareH bred in May 

 is 34.'> days ; average for thirteen Marcs bred in June and July is '138 days ; longest time 

 of any Mare bred in April is .360 dayn, shortest time of any Mare bred in April in 

 332 days ; longest time of any Mare bred in May is :]60 Hays, shortest time of any Mare 

 bred in May is 323 days ; lonjjest time of any >Iare bred in .Tune and .Inly is 3.14 days, 

 shortest time of any ^Iare bred in June and July is 314 days. The la»t Mare referred to 

 was a virgin Mare, and very fat at the time of breeding, and continued so up to the time 

 of foaling. Mares here in Oregon usually get very poor during the winter months, but 

 have an abundance of n\itritious grass to run on during the spring and summer months. 

 It is my opinion that Mares which have an abundance of nutritious food for a time previous 

 to foaling, bring the futus to maturity sooner than they would were they kept on a small 

 amount of vers- innutritioua food." 



