336 Scientific Proceedings^ Royal Dublin Society. 



This discovery with regard to Desmond suggested that inquiries should 

 also be made about the black mares involved in the Thoroughbred table. 

 It will be noticed that they breed very like Desmond when mated witli 

 eliestnut, bay, and brown stallions. Presumably therefore they are also 

 browns. Inquiry was made about a number of these mares, especially 

 those having several foals, and in every case where a definite reply was 

 received the mare turned out to be a brown. This led to inquiries further 

 afield — to horses not concerned in our tables — and the conclusion arrived at is 

 that most, if not all, throughbred " black " horses are really browns.^ The 

 authorities of the Trakehnen stud-farm in Germany desired at one time a 

 black thoroughbred stallion to cross with their black mares, and they only 

 found such an animal, or, at any rate, what they took to be such, with the 

 greatest difficulty. 



There being thus a lack of blacks among Thoroughbreds, it became 

 necessary to return again for such animals to the Clydesdales, among which, 

 in their early days and in recent years, a fair number can be found. By 

 avoiding sires whose blackness is doubtful, the following statistics were 

 collected : — 



Peogeny of twenty-two Black Clydesdale Sires. 



Ch. Bl. By. Br. Gr. 



From Chestnut Mares, 

 „ Black Mares, 

 „ Bay Mares, 

 „ Brown Mares, 

 „ Grey Mares, 



The bays and browns from chestnut mares, the browns from black mares, 

 and the browns from bay mares were disturbing ; but their numbers did not 

 seem outside the error that might be expected in view of the proportion of 

 brown and black mares and foals wrongly described by their breeders. 



A corresponding set of figures was compiled from the Shire Stud 

 Book :— 



Peogeny of ten Black Shire Hoeses. 



1 Since this paper was read diligent search has been made for undoubted black Thoroughbreds, 

 but without success. 



