194 GENERATION. 



The great weakness arising immediately upon the ejecting of the 

 semen does not arise from the evacuation of the fluid out of the circula- 

 tion, but from the universal spasm produced ; for like all fainting fits 

 it produces sleep ; and in many it is so great as actually to produce 

 actual fainting, especially in men of irritable habits. Indeed, before 

 this spasm comes on, the semen is secreted ; therefore the constitution 

 is already deprived of it ; and the same spasm happens when there is no 

 secretion, as in many who have been using venery too frequently. 

 Perhaps the [final] reason of this spasm weakening so much, is to 

 prevent the testes from secreting till the constitution is again restored, 

 and also to carry off the universal stimulus when it is not lessened nor 

 carried off by the secretion, but rather frightened by it. All this is 

 from a design to limit venery ; for, as the pleasures arising from such 

 practices are too great to be checked by reason, it was necessary that a 

 stop should be put to the desires, and that a want of desire should put 

 a stop to the secretion ; for this stimulus is not simply taken off by the 

 spasm, but the whole animal is considerably weakened. 



It would appear that the female is not so desirous for copulation as 

 the male. We find in most animals, if not in all, that the male always 

 courts the female ; that she requires being courted to give her desires, 

 otherwise she would not have them so often. Lord Clive's zebra is a 

 strong proof of this. When she was in heat they brought a common 

 male ass to her, but she would not admit his addresses. Lord Clive 

 ordered that the male ass should be painted similar to the female zebra ; 

 and this being done, she received him very readily. In this curious 

 fact we have instinct excited by mere colour ; for we cannot suppose 

 that she reasoned or judged of the male from herself, as she never could 

 have seen herself so perfectly. Colour had so strong an effect in the 

 present case, as to get the better of eveiytbing else. But the male did 

 not require this ; [she] being an animal somewhat similar to himself, 

 was sufficient to rouse him. 



My brown cow generally wanted the bull eveiy three weeks when 

 she was not allowed to take him. Sir John Chetwode told me that 

 cows well kept, if not with calf, would take the bull every three weeks. 



My cow at 'Earl's Court 1 ' had some blood come from the vagina; 

 we suspected she was not well ; but a day or two after she took the bull. 



Another cow at Earl's Court took the bull several times, but did not 

 conceive. The distance between each time was about three months, 

 but not regularly so. I intended to dispose of her, but gave orders 

 always to give her the bull till I could dispose of her. After being at 



1 [Hunter's country residence, at Brompton.] 



