160 OBSTETRICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 



1 single ... ... ... ... ... 1 



8 twins ... ... ... ... ... 16 



3 threes 9 



1 five ... ... ... ... .. 5 



13 ewes. 31 lambs. 



The Field for March 29, 1S79, states that a Ewe at Adderstone Hall, Belford, 

 Northumberland, produced five Lambs, all of which were alive and thriving some time 

 afterwards. 



The Live Stock Journal fur April, 1878, mentions that a Ewe at St. Mary's, Orton, 

 dropped six tine healthy Lambs— four males and two females ; two of these were 

 adopted by other Ewes, the others being suckled by the mother, an extraordinary-sized 

 Leicester. 



The London Farmer tells of a Border-Leicester Ewe that produced six Lambs at a 

 birth, all living and doing well. Another Ewe, of mixed breed, had the same number at 

 Meldon Park, Morpeth — all living. This animal had produced twenty-eight Lambs in 

 six years — 4 in 1873, 4 in 1874, 4 in 1875, 4 in 1876, 6 in 1877, and 6 in 1878. 



Other similar instances might be quoted. 



It may be remarked, that extraordinary fecundity in Sheep is seldom 

 observed in the highest-bred races, which are usually uniparous ; it 

 appears to pertain more to the common breeds. Not only this, but 

 certain years are more remarkable than others for double, treble, and 

 quadruple births in this species. 



Goat. 



The Goat is generally considered a uniparous animal, but it would 

 appear that this is a mistake, as double and triple births may be said 

 to be the rule ; not at all infrequently four are produced. But usually 

 with three or four at a birth, one or more are feeble or born dead. It 

 is looked upon as exceptional for only one kid to be produced at a birth. 



The question has been much discussed as to whether these multiple 

 l)irths in animals ordinarily uniparous, are the result of one or successive 

 copulations. The majority of the authorities in such matters are 

 certainly of opinion that a single copulation will suffice to fecundate 

 several ova ; and they doubt if, after a fruitful copulation, it is possible 

 for the spermatozoa to reach the ovary, supposing a second ovum to be 

 developed, unless the second impregnation takes place very soon after 

 the first, and before the fertilised ovum has descended into the uterus. 

 The well-authenticated instances of superf station, though rare, never- 

 theless rather militate against this opinion ; and it would appear to be 

 impossible to explain why one animal among several hundreds, perhaps 

 thousands, should alone bring forth "doubles" or " triplets," while all 

 the others, placed in the same hygienic conditions, have only one 

 offspring. It is a fact, however, that with certain breeds of Sheep an 

 abundance of nourishment and plentiful years dispose to these multiple 

 births. 



Cornevin, as the result of inquiry in and beyond France, comes to 

 the conclusion that in the Mare there are twins in every thousand 

 births ; in the female Ass twins in every hundred births ; and in the 

 Cow twins in every ninety births. He considers it exceptional to have 

 multiple gestations in primipane, and that a Cow which has produced 

 twins will frequently continue to do so, or sometimes even to drop three 

 at subsequent pregnancies. 



What has been said of uniparous animals does not at all apply to 

 those which are multiparous ; for although the latter may be impreg- 



