OF MULES. 37 



conformation of their organs. It is not equally- 

 certain, however, that, if confummation had ta- 

 ken place, produdtion would have followed. It 

 often happens, that animals of different fpecies 

 fpontaneoudy unite. Thefe voluntary unions 

 ought to be prolific, fince they imply that the 

 natural repugnance, which is the chief obltacle, 

 is furmounted, and alfo a conformity between 

 the organs. No fertility, however, has refulted 

 from fuch commixtures. Of this an example 

 recently pafled before my eyes. In 1767, and 

 fome fucceeding years, the miller at rny eftate 

 of Buffon kept a mare and a bull in the fame 

 ftable, who contradted inch a paflion for each 

 other, that, as often as the mare came in feafon, 

 the bull covered her three or four times every 

 day. Thefe embraces were repeated during fe- 

 veral years, and gave the mafter of the animals 

 great hopes of feeing their of^^pr^ng. Nothmg, 

 however, rel'ulted from them. All the inhabi- 

 tants of the place were witnefles to this faft, 

 which proves, that, in our climate at leaft, the bull 

 cannot procreate with the mare, and renders this 

 firft kind of jumar extremely fufpicious. I have 

 not equal evidence to oppofe to the fecond kind, 

 which Dr Shaw fays proceeds from the jack-afs 

 and cow. 1 acknowledge, that, though the dif- 

 firnilarities in ilrudure appear to be nearly c- 

 qual in both cafes, the pofitive teftimony of a 

 traveller fo well informed as Dr Shaw, feems to 

 give a greater degree of probability to the exift- 



C 3 encc 



