38 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
GESTATION OF ANIMAES. 
[n answer to the inquiry “Tamola” December 
(1858) number, page 370, v/e give the following complete 
article from the American Farmer's EncyclopedM 
Gestation. — The gestatory term in quadrupeds is much 
regulated by their bulk. In the elephant it is about 20 
months, in the camel between 11 and 12, in the mare and 
ass the same. According to the observations of M. 
Teissier, of Paris, in 582 mares, which copulated but 
once, the shortest period was 287 days, and the longest 
419, making the extraordinary difference of 132 days, and 
89 days beyond th^ usual term of 1 1 months. The cow 
usually brings forth in about nine months, and the sheep 
in five. Swine usually farrow between Ihe 120th and 1 40th 
day, being liable to variations, influenced apparently by 
their size and their parttcular breeds. In the bitch, on 
the contrary, be she as dimiutive as a kitten, or as large 
as the boarhound, pupping occurs on or about the 63d 
day. The cat produces either on the 55th or 56th day. 
The true causes which abridge or prolong more or less 
the period of gestation in the females of quadrupeds, and 
of the incubation of oirds, are yet unknown to us. Many 
persons are also unacquainted with the proper age for re- 
production, the duration of the power of reproduction, 
and other conditions even of the domesticatfd animals. 
It cannot, therefore, but be interesting to find in the fol- 
lowing table the results of observations made on this 
suMect by the best ancient and modern naturalists 
( Oeconomische neukundige Verhandl ;) 
Kind of Animals. 
Proper age for 
Reproduction 
Period of the 
Power of 
Reproduction, 
Number of 
females for 
one male. 
The most fa- 
vorable Sea- 
son for Co- 
pulation. 
Period of Ge; 
Shortest 
period. 
station and 
Mean 
period. 
1 Incubation, 
Longest 
Period. 
Years. 
Days. * 
Days. 
Days. 
Mare 
4 years 
10 to 12 
May 
322 
347 
419 
Stallion 
5 .. 
12 to 15 
20 to 30 
Cow 
3 .. 
10 
July . 
240 
283 
321 
Bull 
3 .. 
5 
30 to 40 
Ewe 
2 .. 
- 6 
i . 
Nov 
146 
154 
161 
Tup 
2 .. 
40 to 50 
Sow 
1 .. 
6 
March 
109 
115 
143 
Boar 
1 .. 
6 
6 to 10 
She-Goat 
2 .. 
6 
Nov. 
150 
156 
163 
He- Goat 
2 .. 
5 
20 to 40 
She- Ass 
4 .. 
10 to 12 
May 
3G5 
380 
391 
He- Ass 
5 .. 
12 to 15 
1 
1 
She- Buffalo 
281 
308 
335 
Bitch 
2 .. 
8 to 9 
*Fcb. 
55 
60 ■ 
63 
Dog 
2 .. 
8 to 9 
She Cat 
1 .. 
5 to 6 
48 
50 
56 
He Cat 
1 .. 
9 to 10 
5 to 6 
Doe-Rabbit 
6 months 
5 to 6 
Nov. 
20 
28 
35 
Buck-Babbit 
6 .. 
5 to 6 
SO 
Cock 
6 .. 
5 to 6 
12 to 15 
Turkey, sitting ^ Hen ( 
[ 
. V . 
1 17 
24 
28 
on the eggs >Duck - 
, , 
24 
27 
30 
the ) Turkey 1 
1 
24 
26 
30 
Hen, sitting on ) Duck ( 
3 to 5 
26 
30 
34 
the eggs of the S Hen ( 
1 • 
19 
21 
24 
Duck 
28 
30 
32 
Goose 
. 
27 
30 
33 
Pigeon 
16 
18 
20 
Some of these results do not altogether coineide with 
the results of observation in England, where, for example, 
July, the season of copulation of the cow, is considered 
too late That period would produce late calves in the fol- 
lowing year. November is stated to be the best season 
for the ewe; for the blackfaced ewe it is, but for the Lei- 
cester, and, in many situations, for the Cheviot ewe, it is 
a month too late The duration of the power of repro- 
duction accords with our experience as respects the mare 
and stallion ; but 13 years of age for the cow, and 8 for 
the bull, is too young a period or old age in them, fine ani- 
mals of both sexes, of a valuable bred, having been kept 
in a useful state to a much greater age. I have seen a 
short-horned bull in use at 13 years, and a cow of the 
same breed bearing calves rt 18 ; but if the ages of 8 and 
13 respectively refer to the usual time buPs and cows are 
kept for use, the statement is not far from the truth. 
From some carefully collected and very extensive notes 
made by Lord Spencer on the periods of gestatian of 764 
when a cows, it resulted that the shortest period ofgestation 
live calf was produced, was 220 days, and the longest 313 
days, but he was not able to rear any calf prodnced at an 
earlier period than 242 days. From the result of his ex- 
periments it appears that 314 cows calved before the 
284th day, and 310 calved after the 285th ; so that the 
probable period ofgestation ought to be considered 284 or 
285 days. The experiment cf M. Teissier on the gesta- 
tion of cows, are recorded to have given the following re- 
sults: 
21 calved bet.’n 240th & 270th day, mean time being 259i 
544 _ _ 270th & 299th — ' 282 
10 — — 299th & 321st — 303 
In most cases, therefore, between nine and ten months 
may be asssumad as the usual period ; though, with a bull- 
calf, the cow has been generally observed to go about 41 
weeks, and a few days less with a female. Any calf pro- 
duced at an earlier period than 260 days must be con- 
sidered decidedly premature, and any period of gestation 
exceeding 300 days must also be considered irregular ; but 
in this latter case, the^ health of the produce is not affect- 
ed. I will conclude this article with the remarks of Mr. 
C, Hilliard, of Northampton, who states that the period 
