346 REPORT— 1894. 



the neuropile of that ganglion, ends in a small tuft of fine branches in the 

 next ganglion behind. 



(2) Elements starting from a cell in one ganglion of the thorax, 

 giving off a fibre which sends out lateral arborescent branches in the 

 ganglion, passes forwards to the next ganglion, where it gives off a small 

 tuft of branches, and finally ends in a tuft of branches in the ganglion 

 next but one in fi'ont of that in which the cell lay. 



The terminal tuft of each element lies close to the lateral tuft of the 

 corresponding element of the next ganglion, and opposite the terminal 

 tuft of the elements of Group 1. 



(3) Elements starting from a cell in a ganglion giving off a fibre, 

 which passes through one of the lateral nerves and finally breaks up upon 

 a muscle. 



The Influence of Previous Fertilisation of the Female on her S'uhsequent 

 Offsjyring, and the Effect of Alateruul Impressions during Pregnancy 

 on tJie Offspring. — Interim Eeport of the Committee, consisting of 

 Dr. A. RusSEL Wallace (Ghairman), Dr. James Clark (Secre- 

 tary), Dr. G. J. Romanes, Professor S. J. Hickson, Professor E. A. 

 Schafer, and. Dr. J. N. Langley. (Brawn up hy the Secretary). 



The members of this Committee wish to exjjress their deep sense of the 

 irreparable loss they have sustained in the death of Dr. Romanes, whose 

 previous experience in this difficult field of inquiry rendered liis judg- 

 ment and advice invaluable. 



During the jjast year the efibrts of the Committee have been mainly 

 directed to collecting facts and statistics relating to Telegony. In this 

 they have received considerable assistance from the principal agricultural 

 clubs in the country, and have been offered assistance by several societies 

 in France, Switzerland, Germany, and America. Twenty-five preliminary 

 reports have also been received from veterinary surgeons in Scotland and 

 the North of England. In all over 900 letters and reports have been 

 received. The majority, however, are too vague to be of any Service, and 

 many correspondents send generalisations ' based on personal observation 

 and experience,' instead of recording facts. In the description of actual 

 cases, too, the data supplied are generally too meagre. On account of the 

 difficulty of obtaining reliable and sufficient data, the Committee consider 

 it advisable to defer the publication of the collected facts until the im- 

 portant points connected with each can be verified or corroborated. 



An examination of the pedigree cattle and of the stud-books and prize- 

 bred horses of Yorkshire is also in progress, and will, it is hoped, be 

 completed in the course of a few mf)nths. 



The belief in Telegony among breeders and fanciers is very widely 

 spread. The general consensus of opinion among our correspondents is 

 that it frequently occurs in cats, occasionally in dogs and horses, rarely in 

 birds, and almost never in cattle and sheep. The majority of the writers 

 further insist that it is the first fertilisation only that has any effect 

 upon subsequent offspring by a diffei-ent male. 



On account of the amount of work that still remains to be done, the 

 Committee respectfully request that they may be re-appointed for another 

 year. 



