530 Mr. hunter’s Account of 
form when at the age of maturity, which I have obferved 
not to be the cafe with moft of thofe animals which 
are of diftindt fexes, for in fuch the fecondary marks of 
diftindtion are exhibited at certain periods of life. 
There is no fex of any animal whatever that has any 
peculiarity in ihape when born, or when young; but 
moft of thofe animals, which are of diftindt fexes, have 
peculiarities towards the, age of maturity. The male at 
this time lofes that refemblance which he before bore to 
the female in various fecondary properties, exclufive of 
what relates to the organs of generation (t> . That it is 
the male who at this time recedes from the female in this 
refpedt is evident. Every female, juft at the age of ma- 
turity, is more like the young of the fame fpecies than 
the male is obferved to be ; and if the male is deprived 
of his teftes when young, he retains more of the original 
form, and therefore is more Ixmilar to the female. 
From hence it might be fuppofed, that the female 
character contains more truly the fpecific properties of 
the animal than the male; but the true charadter of 
every animal is that which is in both fexes, viz. a natural 
hermaphrodite, or an animal of neither fex, viz. a 
(b) This is not common to all animals of diftinft fexes; for in the fifh there 
is no great difference* nor in many infers, nor in dogs* as has been already 
obferved ; it appears to be moft fo in birds, 
caftrated 
