CHAPTER XL

BIRTH-MARKS AND TELEGONY

TWO widely-spread "beliefs"--in regard to the complicated and not generally familiar subject of the reproduction of animals--are, in addition to that dealt with in the last chapter, examples of the unjustified and primitive mode of forming a conclusion known as "post hoc ergo propter hoc." I refer, firstly, to the belief (which I have already mentioned) in the causation of what are called "birth-marks" by "maternal impressions," by which is meant the seeing of unusual and impressive things by the mother when with child; and, secondly, to the belief that a thoroughbred mare can be so affected or infected by the sire (say a zebra) of one foal as to convey to the foal of a later sire (say, a thoroughbred like herself) marks (such as stripes on the legs) which were not present in the second sire, though present in the first sire. This supposed occurrence is called "telegony," and is by some persons supposed to occur in dogs, cattle, and other animals, including man, as well as in the horse.

There is little support in ordinary experience for the belief that birth-marks are caused by maternal impressions, although some of those who are concerned in a professional way with breeding operations cling to it. In very ancient times we find that there was a belief in it, as shown by the story of the patriarch Jacob, who, wishing to obtain the birth of spotted or parti-coloured lambs from a herd of sheep, placed in front of the breeding ewes stakes or rods from which he had removed the bark in rings, so as to make them parti-coloured. He was supposed to have been successful in this way in impressing the visual sense of the maternal ewes with "parti-colouration," and the belief was that they in consequence produced dappled or parti-coloured lambs. The belief, though not general, is widespread among simple folk that such influences can and do act on animals, and it has been, and is by some, similarly held that a human mother may be influenced by surrounding objects, so that if her surroundings are beautiful she will produce a beautiful child. There is absolutely no ground for this belief--based upon experiment. It is merely an unreasoning assumption of "after this, therefore because of this," based upon the incomplete observation of a few accidental cases of vague coincidence and a tenacious clinging to the belief that it is so because it is difficult to prove that it is not so. No trustworthy investigation or experiment on the subject is on record.

But this unwarranted, untested belief, originating among barbarous peoples, has led further, owing to the inveterate love of marvels still common among us, to the notion (surviving to the present day) that the irregular coloured or obscure marks sometimes found on the skin of a child at birth, and vaguely resembling an animal or a fruit, or what not, are due to the mother having recently seen, under some sudden and startling circumstances, the object which the "birth-mark" on the child resembles. Thus we have the following stories related in a recent publication ("Sex Antagonism," by Walter Heape, F.R.S.). The author holds that this strange influence of "maternal impressions" is possible--a matter of comparatively small importance, since the real question is not as to the "possibility" but simply (as in a whole series of beliefs as to more or less improbable occurrences) whether there is or is not sufficient evidence that the connexion and influence believed in actually exists. Mr. Heape relates (without giving any detailed evidence whatever in support of the conclusion which he accepts) the supposed case of a red "mark" like a lizard found on a new-born child's breast being "produced" by the fall of a lizard from the ceiling (the event happened in China) on to its mother's breast shortly before the child's birth. Another case is that of a woman whose husband was brought home from work with his arm lacerated by machinery. Her child was born soon afterwards, and is stated to have had marks on one arm "similar to" those the mother saw on the corresponding arm of her husband. Another story is that of a lady who had a great craving for raspberries before her child was born, and accordingly bore a child with a red raspberry mark on its body!

In no case does Mr. Heape give any picture of the birth-mark and the thing supposed to be represented by it, nor state that he has seen either the mark or a picture of it. In no case is the statement of the mother as to her having been "influenced" as described in the narration, tested or examined in any way.

These and similar stories are related to-day, and such stories have been related from time immemorial. But they are always "hear-say." The witnesses and the facts are never carefully examined, and the degree of closeness of the agreement between the mark and its supposed cause are never really demonstrated. Nor has anyone undertaken a statistical examination with the view of showing that the vague agreement of the mark with the arresting object seen by the mother is anything more than an accidental coincidence, nor (in regard to many such stories) has it been proved that the mother really did see or notice any such terrifying object as she afterwards declares (and possibly thinks) she