Functions of the Generative Organs. 143 



I may give one instance as particularly illustrative of 

 this fact. A pure-bred white English terrier, belonging 

 to my brother, by mischance, had connection with a 

 yellow-and-white mongrel, to which she conceived, and in 

 each of her succeeding three litters, though put to stainless 

 dogs purely white, the whelps were marked precisely like 

 the first litter, yellow and white I 



3. When the bitch has been served, she should again be 

 secluded, for she will then be more likely to retain the im- 

 pression of the dog she has been mated with, and not only 

 so, but danger of a second conception will be avoided. 

 This may appear contrary to the laws of nature, but it is 

 nevertheless a fact that bitches will re-conceive.* Of this 

 I have had ocular demonstration. One instance I will 

 give. A full-sized black-and-tan terrier, belonging to a 

 relative of mine at Abbots Bromley, had connection with a 

 dog of the same species ; within an hour afterwards I saw 

 her connected with a curly half-bred black-and-white sheep- 

 dog. When the period of parturition arrived, she gave 

 birth to two whelps : one, to all appearance, a pure-bred 

 black-and-tan, the other a rough-coated black-and-white 



w help, double the size. ' 



* In the bitch, many observers have assured themselves that super- 

 foetation is by no means unfrequent. Rainard, Blaine, and others 

 speak of it. Blaine says : " I am disposed to think that bitches are 

 capable of superfoetation ; that is, they conceive more than once. If 

 this is the case, a bitch may copulate to-day, and become impregnated, 

 and in a day or two she may copulate again, and again become impreg- 

 nated. This is not frequent, I believe ; but it certainly does happen, 

 or we could not account for the different periods at which the progeny 

 sometimes appear. I have known a week, and in one case even ten 

 days, intervene between the puppings ; but one or two days is not at 

 all uncommon. As a still more convincing proof, the whelps often 

 2i^pea.r oi different kinds." (The italics are mine. — J. W. H.) 



" It must be remembered that the bitch remains in 'heat' for three 

 or four days, and will seek repeated intercourse with the male during 

 that period. It must, therefore, either be concluded that the last inter- 

 course was the successful one, or that one or more ova were impreg- 

 nated at each copulation."— Fleming's " Veterinary Obstetrics," 

 Anomalies in Gestation, p. 153. 



