200 An Examination of Weismannism. 



But that the phenomenon does occur in some small percentage 

 of cases there can be no reasonable doubt — as a result, I mean, 

 of analysing the hundreds of cases which have now been sub- 

 mitted to me, especially with regard to dogs. One thoroughly 

 well observed case occurring among pedigree animals is worth 

 any number of slipshod statements, when precedent belief, in- 

 efficient isolation, exaggeration of memory, and so forth, have to 

 be allowed for. On the present occasion space does not admit 

 of giving such special instances, so I must ask it to be taken 

 for granted that my evidence is enough to prove the fact of a 

 previous sire asserting his influence on a subsequent progeny, 

 although this fact is one of comparatively rare occurrence. It 

 may be added that I have failed to find any good evidence of 

 its ever occurring at all in the case of man. For although I have 

 met with an alleged instance of a white woman, who, after having 

 borne children to a negro husband, had a second family to a 

 white one, in which some negro characteristics appeared, I have 

 not been able to meet with any corroboration of this instance. 

 I have made inquiries among medical men in the Southern 

 States of America, where in the days of slavery it was frequently 

 the custom that young negresses should bear their first children 

 to their masters, and their subsequent children to negro hus- 

 bands ; but it never seems to have been observed, according to 

 my correspondents, that these subsequent children were other 

 than pure negroes. Such, however, was not the same case as the 

 one above mentioned, but a reciprocal case ; and this may have 

 made a difference. If any reader should happen to know of 

 another instance where a negro was the first husband, I hope he 

 will inform me as to the result. 



It has hitherto puzzled me why the phenomenon in question, 

 since it does certainly occur in some cases, should occur so rarely 

 as the above inquiries prove. But I think that Mr. Spencer's 

 suggestion on this point is a valuable one, as it seems to 

 present an excellent promise of solving the puzzle. 



This suggestion, it will be remembered, is that when the first 

 sire is of a relatively stable and also of a markedly different 

 ancestral stock from the dam — e. g., of a different species, as in 

 the case of Lord Morton's mare — there will be most likelihood of 

 his impressing his ancestral characters on the progeny of the 



