Mathematical Contributions to the Theory of Evolution. On Telegony in Man, &c.

✍ Scribed by Pearson, Karl; Lee, Alice

• Book ID: 120124970
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• Year: 1897
• Weight: 664 KB
• Volume: 60
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0365-0855
• DOI: 10.1098/rspl.1896.0048

✦ Synopsis

(1) The term telegony has been used to cover cases in which a female A, after mating with a male B, bears to a male C offspring having some resemblance to or some peculiar characteristic of A’s first mate B. The instances of telegony usually cited are (i) cases of thoroughbred bitches when covered by a thoroughbred dog, reverting in their litter to half-breds, when they have been previously crossed by dogs of other races. Whether absolutely unimpeachable instances of this can be produced is, perhaps, open to question, but the strong opinion on the subject among dog-fanciers is at least remarkable; (ii) the case of the quagga noted by Darwin (see 'Origin of Species,’ 4th edition, p. 193), and still more recently (iii) a noteworthy case of telegony in man cited in the ‘British Medical Journal’ (see No. 1834, February 22, 1896, p. 462).