Dear Sir

I wish that my delay in responding to your request for returns of the numbers of each sex in breeding Stock had enabled me to send you more than I have been able to obtain¹

I send you one only but that is from a very careful observer

I have applied to many others but rec^d. an invariable reply that the numbers are so equal they never saw any object to be attained by recording them

One answer to this effect was from a breeder of cattle—the others from flock masters.

I have met with a gentleman here a D^r Lyford² (formerly practising at Winchester) who takes an interest in such enquiries   He had established to his own satisfaction the same theory as that in the pamphlet of Mons^r Thury³ but spoke also confidently with respect to the human species that the sex of the issue was in the control of the parents   In one respect he differed I believe from Mons^r Thury who said if I mistake not that monsters in the case of twins were always of one sex whereas he possesses a pair of (Siamese) twins which he assisted in delivering where the sexes vary⁴

On the theory which I quoted in my former letter I have found a notice in the treatise on Sheep (Chambers, Information for the people Tit:⁵ Sheep) in which it is stated rather broadly that “the offspring of a young ram & ewe of from 4 to 5 years old will in general be feminine while that of an old ram & young ewe will in general be masculine”

The facts given are from an article in the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture first Vol & first Series which I have referred to at the British Museum

(It is found in the Index under the head “Periodical literature. “Quarterly Journal of Agriculture 1^st. Series—Edinb:) but I must confess the instances quoted did not seem very clear—⁶

I have not seen your recent work—on animals under domestication”, but hope soon to have that pleasure⁷

I remain Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | W^m Henty

I have heard of one instance where one bull served two herds. The produce of one herd was 19 male calves & one female

The other was about the same.

I hope to learn further particulars.

The owners wished to have females—