890 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



As is the case in most questions on which there is a great 

 deal of uncertainty among men of wide practical experience, 

 we think that nothing very definite can be laid down for 

 individual cases. The liability to variation is so great that, 

 even in the offspring of the same parents, the type and 

 character may be widely different, especially if the parents 

 are not both well bred and of closely analogous type. 



The factor of prepotency still further militates against 

 the acceptance of any very definite rule, as some parents, 

 either male or female, are so prepotent that they stamp 

 their likeness very distinctly on the whole of their progeny, 

 no matter how they may have been mated. 



It is pretty generally accepted, however, among breeders 

 that the male parent influences the outward formation 

 particularly — i.e., the external structure and organs of 

 locomotion — and the female the internal organization. 

 We think that is the general tendency, but, in view of the 

 above-mentioned liability to variation, we do not think any 

 great stress should be laid on it. 



It seems reasonable to expect that each parent will be 

 particularly liable to influence the characteristics which 

 are specially developed in the sex to which he or she 

 belongs. 



Thus the sire would particularly influence the powers of 

 muscular endurance, vigour, courage, and the locomotory 

 apparatus, and the dam would be expected to influence 

 quality, temperament, habit of body, and the organs of 

 nutrition. 



The point on which we would lay particular stress, as of 

 the utmost importance in successful breeding, is the necessity 

 of strongly-marked masculine character in the sires and 

 feminine character in the females. 



Parents which do not show the special characteristics of 

 their sex strongly marked scarcely ever prove prepotent, 

 and this fact is thoroughly recognised by most successful 

 breeders. 



Sires of all classes should possess marked courage and 

 energy, and their frames, both of the body and limbs, 



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