The Descent of Man

half ounces, and at the age of six weeks by
nearly fourteen ounces. Mr. Wright of Yeldersley
House, in a letter to Mr. Cupples, says: "I
have taken notes on the sizes and weights of
puppies of many litters, and as far as my experience
goes, dog-puppies as a rule differ very
little from bitches till they arrive at about five
or six months old; and then the dogs begin to
increase, gaining upon the bitches both in
weight and size. At birth, and for several weeks
afterwards, a bitch-puppy will occasionally be
larger than any of the dogs, but they are invariably
beaten by them later." Mr. McNeill, of
Colonsay, concludes that "the males do not
attain their full growth till over two years old,
though the females attain it sooner." According
to Mr. Cupples' experience, male dogs go on
growing in stature till they are from twelve to
eighteen months old, and in weight till from
eighteen to twenty-four months old; whilst the
females cease increasing in stature at the age of
from nine to fourteen or fifteen months, and in