The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-10

tie path OF the eve, causing sucn u
degree of fright as to impress the
marks of the skunk upon the fatus.
This is only an analogous instance,
with results quite as singular, as observ-
ed in the offspring of the human species,
produced by highly exciting circum-
stances during pregnancy.
Mr.. Boswell, in his essay on the sub
ject in question, published in the BRIT
1sH QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF AGR1cUL-
TURE, says; J." Being fully convinced
of the power of the male on the off
spring, have always accounted it as
loss to put bad male to a high bred
female, and have never done so. l
have, however, observed, where the
country people have purchased high
bred sheep at any sale of mine, and
bred from them with ordinary rams.
that the breed very quickly got bad;
whereas, when Bakwel1 ram had
been purchased, | have seen most
remarkable change in the quality of
the sheep for the better" Another
English writer says: "The progeny
of most domesticated animals often
bears a striking resemblance to the
grandmother or grandfather, and it is
we'll known that the desired changes
cannot be effected on breed, or that
the desired breed cannot be produced,
till the third, fourth, or even the fifth
crossing, so that the Importance OF
having few defects in stock will rap
idly be admitted, seeing their debasipg
consequences are carried through whole
generations, and that, though absent
in one remove, yet that they may ap-
pear in the next"
As an instance to show these " de-
basing consequences may be prolong-
ed through defect of the male, the
following is stated, having occurred
many years since in my own flock: |
purchased Saxon ram, distinguished
perfection of form and firmness of wool,
but Objectionable on account of light
ness of feeces and shortness of staple ;
he was used, however, for two success
sive wears. The ram exhibited pc
culiarity about his eyes which protrud-
ed so far as to give him ludricous
aspect, and consequently he received
the soubriquet of bulge eye;" in adj
dition to this his pate was entirely bare
of wool, and nothing but the fineness
of his fleece induced his usage. But
strange as it may appear, for more than
ten years after after a f" straggler "
would now and then appear whose eyes
and fleece were the very counterpart
of the ram in question, and the novelty
of the circumstance was, the dams
were as perfect in all respects as the
average of the flock, and entirely free
from the peculiarities described in the
ram.
The above strongly manifested the
influence of the male and affords a
striking lesson to the flock-master to
beware of imperfections of every char
acter, no matter how slight, in his stock
rams, as irreparable injury may follow
if it is neglected; and this remark is
applicable to all other domestic animals.
1t is supposed by some that the sex OF
the progeny is determined by the rela,
tive ages of the parents, thus; issue
from young male and an old female
will in general be feminine, while that
from an old male and a young female
will generally be masculine. / have
little confidence in this theory, conse-
quently never thought it worth the
trouble of an experiment. The point
is noticed that others may make the
trial if in doubt.