OF MULES. 3 



more flefliy. Hence thefe two animals, in the 

 form of the head, limbs, and 'other extremities 

 of the body, have a greater refemblance to the 

 father than to the mother. 



In the years 1751 and 1752, I made two he- 

 goats copulate with feveral ewes, and I obtain- 

 ed nine mules, feven males and two females. 

 Struck with this difference between the number 

 of males and females, I endeavoured to difcover 

 whether the number of male mules, produced 

 by the afs and mare, predominated in the iame 

 proportion. The information 1 received did not 

 afcertain this point ; but 1 learned rhat the num- 

 ber of male mules always exceeded that of the 

 females. The Marquis de Spontin- Beaufort 

 made a dog intermix with a fhe-wolf, and pro- 

 cured four mules, three of which were males *. 

 In fine, having made inquiries concerning mules 

 ■which were more eaiily obtained, i learned, that 

 the number of males greatly exceeded that of^ 

 the females. In the aniclc, Canary-birds '\, I 

 remarked, that of nine young produced between 

 a goldfinch and a Canary-bird, there were only 

 three females. Thefc are the only certain fads 

 I could coUedl on this fubjedl if, which merits 

 A 2 more 



* Letter from the Marquis de Spontin-Beaufort to M. de 

 BufFon, dated Namur, July 14. 1773, and attetted by two 

 letters from M. Surirey de Boiify, likewife dated Nainiir, 

 June 9. and July 19. 1773. 



t See torn. 4. de I'Hift. Nat. des Oifeaux. 



J What is related by different authors, concerning the ju- 



mars, 



