G17 
ON BREEDING. 
The disposition and likeness, also, very probably depend upon 
the difference of ardour in the parties; on the fancy, the pas¬ 
sions, the particular state of the system at the time, and a thou¬ 
sand circumstances, besides the age and the usual or general 
habit of the body. “ The more the male is' superior to the 
female in strength and the energy of his physical powers, the 
more will his produce share his character and appearance; 
whilst the colt of a vigorous mare bears, on the contrary, the 
likeness of its dam, if the stallion possesses a weak constitution.” 
Since, then, it is agreed upon, that the embryo is formed by 
the joint operations of the sire and dam, it must be obvious 
that a proper and systematic union of the necessary characters 
of both must be requisite to produce an offspring possessing 
their joint qualities. It is by pursuing this method that our pre¬ 
sent breed of racers have been brought to such high perfection. 
The breeders of thorough-breds have never crossed into an 
inferior blood; being well aware that animals, when equally 
matched, are endowed with the faculty of propagating an off¬ 
spring that has, in a considerable degree, the properties , dispo¬ 
sitions, and resemblance of the parents. 
Accidental varieties will sometimes take place; for there is no 
arriving at a certainty in breeding, such is the darkness with 
which nature has enveloped this great mystery of the living 
economy. The Bedouins appear to have teen perfectly aware 
of the influence of the mare in breeding: hence one of the first 
blood* is of much more consequence and of more value to 
them than a stallion. “ They are not near so nice in the choice 
of the stallion as the European breeders; for they ascribe the 
good qualities of the colt rather to the dam than to the sire. 
Their fillies are, therefore, reared with the greatest attention, 
whilst their colts are oftentimes kept in a half-starved state till 
twelve or eighteen months old, and then sent to be sold to the 
Europeans residing in India, or to the townspeople, or Fellahs of 
the neighbouring towns. 
“ The price of an Arab horse in Syria is from ten pounds to 
one hundred and twenty: an A rab mare can scarcely be ob¬ 
tained under sixty pounds; and the Arabs themselves often pay 
as much as two hundred pounds for a celebrated mare. The 
price has amounted to more than five hundred pounds.” 
These observations, extracted from that learned and enterpris¬ 
ing eastern traveller, Burckhardt, who appears to have paid 
particular attention to the nature and management of the Ara- 
* The Bedouins count five noble breeds of horses, descended, as they 
say, from the five favourite mares of the Prophet. Taueyse, A lane k eye, 
Kohey], Saklaivye, and Diylfe. 
VOL. III. 4 o 
