Another case: A friend of mine in Devizes had a litter of
puppies unsought for, by a setter from a favorite pointer bitch,
and after this she never bred any true pointers, no matter what
the paternity was.'
"Lord Polwarth, whose very fine breed of Border Leicesters is
famed throughout Britain, and whose knowledge on the subject of
breeding is great, says that 'In sheep we always consider that if
a ewe breeds to a Shrop ram, she is never safe to breed pure
Leicesters from, as dun or colored legs are apt to come even when
the sire is a pure Leicester. This has been proved in various
instances, but is not invariable.' "
Hon. Henry Scott says: "Dog-breeders know this theory well; and
if a pure-bred bitch happens to breed to a dog of another breed,
she is of little use for breeding pure-bred puppies afterward.
Animals which produce large litters and go a short time pregnant
show this throwing back to previous sires far more distinctly
than others--I fancy dogs and pigs most of all, and probably
horses least. The influence of previous sires may be carried into
the second generation or further, as I have a cat now which
appears to be half Persian (long hair). His dam has very long
hair and every appearance of being a half Persian, whereas
neither have really any Persian blood, as far as I know, but the
grand-dam (a very smooth-haired cat) had several litters by a
half-Persian tom-cat, and all her produce since have showed the
influence retained.
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