62 Forty Years Beagling 



phenomenon, in what is nothing more or less than 

 direct infection of the hitch thi'ough the agency of 

 a third party, viz., the produce of her liaison with 

 the cohie dog. 



"That this is llie difference hetween Dr. Mills 

 and myself is evidenced hy his letter of February 

 27, for while he admits the view I exi)resse{l on 

 the Gth of February, viz., that the phenomenon is 

 hardly common, whicli amoimts to a statement that 

 it is abnormal, mid be iubiiits tlie fact it is possible 

 for the ova of one breed of rab})it to be taken from 

 the real dam and incu])ated by another without any 

 change of type. He further remarks: 'About the 

 only point on which Mr. Millais and myself may 

 possibly really differ is this: It is possible for the 

 foetal connection to l)e maintained without the 

 mother being affected by the foetal blood and meta- 

 bolism. As I understand these relations I am 

 bound to answer no, and if this be correct then the 

 dam may in consequence influence the future off- 

 spring.' It will thus be seen what Dr. Mills' exact 

 views are, and in placing them again before your 

 readers may I, with all due deference to Dr. Mills, 

 point out that if it were possible for the foetal con- 

 nection to be maintained without the mother being 

 affected by the foetal blood and metabolism, which 

 Dr. Mills most explicitly explains he cannot be- 



