524 The Descent of Man. Part IL 



strongly attracted by males of a large size. ^° The well-known 

 veterinary Blaine states " that his own female pug became so 

 attached to a spaniel, and a female setter to a cur, that in 

 neither case would they pair with a dog of their own breed 

 until several weeks had elapsed. Two similiar arid trustworthy 

 accounts have been given me in regard to a female retriever 

 and a spaniel, both of which became enamoured with terrier- 

 dogs. 



Mr. Cupples informs me that he can personally vouch for the 

 accuracy of the following more remarkable case, in which a 

 valuable and wonderfully-intelligent female terrier loved a 

 retriever belonging to a neighbour to such a degree, that she 

 had often to be dragged away from him. After their permanent 

 separation, although repeatedly shewing milk in her teats, she 

 would never acknowledge the courtship of any other dog, and to 

 the regret of her owBer never bore puppies. Mr. Cupples also 

 states, that in 1B68, a female deerhound in his kennel thrice pro- 

 duced puppies, and on each occasion shewed a marked preference 

 for one of the largest and handsomest, but not the most eager, 

 of four deerhounds living with her, all in the prime of life. 

 Mr. Cupples has observed that the female generally favours a dog 

 whom she has associated with and knows; her shyness and 

 timidity at first incline her against a strange dog. The male, on 

 the contrary, seems rather inclined towards strange females. It 

 appears to be rare when the male refuses any particular female, 

 but Mr. Wright, of Yeldersley House, a great breeder of dogs, 

 informs me that he has known some instances ; he cites the case of 

 one of his own deerhounds, who would not take any notice of a 

 particular female mastiff, so that another deerhound had to be 

 employed. It would be superfluous to give, as I could, other 

 instances, and I will only add that Mr. Barr, who has carefully 

 bred many bloodhounds, states that in almost every instance 

 particular individuals of opposite sexes shew a decided prefer- 

 ence for each other: Finally, Mr. Cupples, after attending to 

 this subject for another year, has written to me, " 1 have bad 

 " full confirmation of my former statement, that dogs in breeding 

 " form decided preferences for each other, being often influenced 

 " by size, bright colour, and individual characters, as well as by 

 " the degree of their previous familiarity." 



In regard to horses, Mr. Blenkiron, the greatest breeder of 

 race-horses in the world, informs me that stallions are so 

 frequently capricious in their choice, rejecting one mare and 



" 'Dogs: then- Minagduient,' by *' Quoted by Alex. Walker 'On 



E. Mayhew, M.R.C.V.S., 2nd edit. Intermarriage,' 1838, p. 276; -!■< 

 I8(U. pp. 187-192. also p. 244. 



