A NEW WONDER IN NATURAL HISTORY. 43 



was, deemed an impossibility, — it nevertheless is a 

 really existing fact. 



One most important step towards clearing up the 

 mystery had already been made by Dr. L. Ziegler in 

 Hanover, in 1843. It is on a par with that discovery 

 preceding Harvey's, of the circulation of the blood ; the 

 discovery, namely, of valves in the veins. Dr. Ziegler 

 had determined, beyond all doubt, that in the organs of 

 the roebuck, during the winter months, there existed 

 none of those concomitants necessary for the procreation 

 of an animal. The necessary juices were absolutely not 

 present : they were quite dried up, and would not be 

 found again till spring or summer. This settled, at 

 least, the one question as to the " false " or " true " rut, 

 and decided also that the period of gestation could not 

 be twenty, but was forty weeks. However, if the 

 rutting season of the roe was in July and August, and 

 then and then only the fecundating power existed and 

 could be communicated, what a riddle it was, that for 

 months after this time no trace vv^hatever should be 

 found of impregnation ; no change in the state of the 

 organs, no sign of an embryo ! But when it is stated 

 that the egg out of which the young animal has to be 

 developed, was a point hardly bigger than one of the 

 full stops in this printed page, it will surprise no one 

 that it should so often have escaped the observation of 

 those who sought after it, and were unable to detect its 



