The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-10
Bleeding of Sheep.
Read by Hon l.. A. Morrell before
the New York Farmers Club:
INFLUENCE OF SEX.


INFLUENCE OF SEX.
This question formerly excited much
discussion among breeders and phyi-
ologists, many contending that the
influence of sire and dam were equal
upon the progeny, taking general and
not particular qualities into view. 1t
is, however, reasonable to suppose that
in some respects this influence cannot
be equal, and that the theory is we'll
founded that the constitutional quail
ties, nervous temperament, and SO forth,
are more likely to resemble the dam,
and the external qualities, such as out
ward form, color, hair, and so forth, to
resemble the sire. Many examples
might be cited in support of this theory.
Many farmers have. noticed how much
more likely their animals are to inherit
the diseases of their dams than their
sires. When we consider that the ami
NAL is supported during the fetal stage
of its existence entirely from the blood
of the mother, and that this blood, cir
culating through every part Of the sys-
TEN, would, of corse, be affected by the
state of the animals health, this conse-
quence would seem to be perfectly ma
tural. On the other hand, it has been
noticed that the outward features of
the sire, more frequently than those of
the dam, are enstamped on the progeny.
This has been attributed to the nerv-
GUS influence. of the imagination of the
fetus. Practical men believe there is
something in this. Professional breed
ers avail themselves of the principle in
giving to their animals some desired
marks or qualities 1t must have been
something akin to this, by the influence
of which, through the medium Of peeled
rods, Jacob caused the cattle to be born,
"ringed, streaked, and speckled. .
Breeders of horses sometimes take great
pains to operate on the imagination of
the mare, and thus produce in the foal
certain characteristics. At the time of
conception, or within the first month
afterward, the fetus seems to be pecu-
liarly susceptible to this influence, and
it is not difficult to produce the changes
spoken Of Some striking instances of
the effect of this sympathetic influence
might be given One of the most re-
markable, perhaps, as showing the
evidence of anterior excitement, is that
of mare, seven eighths of Arabian
blood, after having produced foal by
stallion quagga, "a species Of zebra
continued, after lapse of five years, to
reproduce the markings of that animal,
at three successive births, although the
sire of all the subsequent progeny was
a thoroughbred Arab horse. This is a
well-authenticated fact, and correct por-
traits of the mare the hybrid, and three
foals which the mare afterward had by
the horse, the latter showing the stripes
of the quagga, are preserved.
The influence of one black sheep
though it may never have any progeny,
is often noticed in causing black lambs.
Shepherds who have kept black dogs
with their sheep have observed the
same effect The nervous influence of
animals in a state Of pregnancy shows
itself very conspicuously in the effects
Of fright on the offspring. Many cases
Of this kind might be cited in the hui
man species, as well as in our domestic
animals. Conscious ], of the truth of
this remark, made it point never to
breed from sires or dams, that were
otherwise than entirely white, yet at
one time one of my highest bred ewes
produced lamb whose head and tail
were white, but everywhere else jet
black, and thus resembled skunk.
From this it is reasonable to suppose
that, in the early stage of CESSATION,
one of these disgusting animals crossed