greg@garnet.berkeley.edu (Greg Kuperberg) (08/01/90)
The readers of this news group will have to excuse my ignorance on
this subject. I have some basic questions about the mechanics of
sex among large animals.
In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have
trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking
her back. How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary
between different large mammals?
-----
Greg Kuperberg Suicide by firearms constitutes 11% of the
risk of death for white men aged 20-29.turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) (08/01/90)
----- In article <37900@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, greg@garnet.berkeley.edu (Greg Kuperberg) writes: > In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have > trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking > her back. ... The cow's back turns out to be quite a bit more robust than your ability to imagine the event. It should not be too hard too find someone who will permit you to watch the next time a prize bull or stallion is studded out. (Someone has to watch to determine whether or not the studding fee is due in the event that the cow or mare does not become pregnant.) The cow (or mare) only supports a fraction of the bull's (or stallion's) weight, because the male animal moves into a somewhat hunched over position with a large portion of its weight shifting to its rear legs. > How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary > between different large mammals? Beats the hell out of me. Maybe you should call a zoo. Russell
wbt@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (08/01/90)
In article <37900@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> greg@garnet.berkeley.edu (Greg Kuperberg) writes: > >In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have >trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking >her back. But that is, in fact, what happens. The cow stands there, looking a trifle nervous, as the bull mounts her from the rear. Upon completion, neither lights a cigarette. > How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary >between different large mammals? Not that I'm aware. All of these, I think, use the same technique, though many employ at least some degree of foreplay 8-) Large mammals and small mammals all seem to use this "doggie style" approach (ahem), leading to the inevitable conclusion that it is not the size that matters, but the technique. - - - - - - - - valuable coupon - - - - - - - clip and save - - - - - - - - Bill Thacker AT&T Network Systems - Columbus wbt@cbnews.att.com Free the Lagrange 5 !
mhassman@zephyr.cair.du.edu (Arlo Crymble) (08/01/90)
Cattle do in fact perform sex much like humans.
The bull mounts the cow (without injuring her).
A single bull can in fact impregnate numerous
cows and will often have intercourse with the
same cow more than once (this increases the
chance for impregnaion obviously). Having lived
on a farm, this knowledge is from experience.
Question: Isn't the bull able to determine if
he has had intercourse with the cow by smell and
can he also determine if the cow is pregnant in
the same fashion?
Mark A. Hassman <mhassman@zephyr.cair.du.edu>
werner@aecom.yu.edu (Craig Werner) (08/02/90)
In article <37900@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, greg@garnet.berkeley.edu (Greg Kuperberg) writes: > The readers of this news group will have to excuse my ignorance on > this subject. I have some basic questions about the mechanics of > sex among large animals. > > In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have > trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking > her back. How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary > between different large mammals? > ----- > Greg Kuperberg Suicide by firearms constitutes 11% of the > risk of death for white men aged 20-29. Elephants have a very interesting mechanism. Two sets of muscles which are rudimentary in humans are fully developed to good use in bull elephants. In the case of elephants, thrusting would in fact probably severely injure the female. However, the elephant's penis, thanks to the aforementioned adaptation is capable of thrusting forward and back while the hips remain motionless. Furthermore, these same muscles retract the penis into a body cavity of sorts when it is "not in use." -- Craig Werner (future MD/PhD, 5.5 years down, 2.5 to go) werner@aecom.YU.EDU -- Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517) "That's not a philosophy, that's a bumper sticker."
sbishop@desire.wright.edu (08/02/90)
In article <37900@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, greg@garnet.berkeley.edu (Greg Kuperberg) writes: > The readers of this news group will have to excuse my ignorance on > this subject. I have some basic questions about the mechanics of > sex among large animals. > > In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have > trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking > her back. How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary > between different large mammals? > ----- > Greg Kuperberg Suicide by firearms constitutes 11% of the > risk of death for white men aged 20-29. As a descendant of a a long line of farmers and after spending most of my life on the farm I can assure you that the bull manages quite well. Cows are stronger than you think. All large four legged animals copulate the same way, male mounts from rear. Elephants, rhinos, horses, deer, etc. Besides, take a look at the positioning of the equipment involved. How ELSE could they do it?
mah@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Michael Hoffhines) (08/04/90)
In article <1990Aug1.145945.5152@cbnews.att.com> wbt@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) writes: >But that is, in fact, what happens. The cow stands there, looking a trifle >nervous, as the bull mounts her from the rear. Upon completion, >[etc] >> How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary >>between different large mammals? ^^^^^minor concern here. All of the _large_ mammals discussed in this thread have been terrestrial and are not among the largest of the class. Whales have entirely different ways of having sex as a consequence of their size and aquatic environment. >Not that I'm aware. All of these, I think, use the same technique, >though many employ at least some degree of foreplay 8-) Large >mammals and small mammals all seem to use this "doggie style" Well.... Some of the large whales have prehensile penises. Although there are not a lot of observations available, the typically _observed_ position is with both animals (or frequently, 1 female and many males fighting for position) near the surface genital areas in proximity to one another. All bets are off after that. The animals may be perpendicular (frequently seen in dolphins) or more or less belly to belly. >approach (ahem), leading to the inevitable conclusion that it is >not the size that matters, but the technique. Not certain why this follows. > >- - - - - - - - valuable coupon - - - - - - - clip and save - - - - - - - - >Bill Thacker AT&T Network Systems - Columbus wbt@cbnews.att.com > Free the Lagrange 5 ! ^^^^^^^Thanks, I have one coupon already. Just hoping to broaden the perspective on this *important* topic. - Mike. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------< > Michael Hoffhines | INTERNET: mah@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu < > ICS Department | < > University of Hawaii | Hey, hey, hey. Don't be mean. B. Banzai < >---------------------------------------------------------------------------<
urjlew@uncecs.edu (Rostyk Lewyckyj) (08/05/90)
The summary says it all.
drb@F.word.cs.cmu.edu (Dean Benjamin) (08/05/90)
Michael Hoffhines @uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu:
> Just hoping to broaden the perspective on this *important* topic.
For another interesting perspective, I recommend the large wallposter
"Penises of the Animal Kingdom". (I bought it two years ago as a
birthday present for my 14-yr-old Little Brother, for whom this topic
was of unexplainably sudden, obsessive interest. :-)
It proportionally depicts the male copulatory organs of a dozen
mammals, ranging in size from the monster meats of whale and elephant
down to the picayune peckers of man and dog. All are portrayed in
their fully erect states.
An enclosure supplies a number of anatomical insights; which, I
suppose, could be effectively deployed when party chatter flags.
Among them:
* The dog penis has a bulbous enlargement that is present only
during erection. This bulb is the reason dogs "get stuck" while
copulating. The female contracts her vagina around the trapped
penis to extract seminal fluids.
* The porpoise has a remarkable penis. The longer branch of its
forked end is actually jointed, allowing the tip to rotate or
swivel. The animal has voluntary control over this action and
uses the finger-like appendage to manipulate and investigate
objects in its environment.
* Perhaps the oddest penis is that of the pig. During erection, the
end of the penis convolutes into a corkscrew bearing an uncanny
resemblance to the animal's coiled tail. The helical end of the
erect organ conforms to the twisted contours of the female's
vagina.
At the bottom of the enclosure:
To order, send $10 check to Scientific Novelty, Box 673-C,
Bloomington, IN 47402. Price includes postage and handling.
Please allow two weeks for delivery.
Disclaimer: Other than once being their customer,
I am in no way affiliated with this company.teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) (08/06/90)
(Craig Werner) writes: (Greg Kuperberg) writes: >> The readers of this news group will have to excuse my ignorance on >> this subject. I have some basic questions about the mechanics of >> sex among large animals. >> >> In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have >> trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking >> her back. How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary >> between different large mammals? How about porcupines? > > Elephants have a very interesting mechanism. Two sets of muscles >which are rudimentary in humans are fully developed to good use in bull >elephants. In the case of elephants, thrusting would in fact probably >severely injure the female. However, the elephant's penis, thanks to the >aforementioned adaptation is capable of thrusting forward and back while >the hips remain motionless. Furthermore, these same muscles retract the >penis into a body cavity of sorts when it is "not in use." > This is not the whole story though, is it? According to Morgan, (Descent of Women, and her later summary of the Hardy-Morgan theory), elephantine copulation is rendered unusual by the position of the vaginal opening. It is not found in the "usual" posterior position (ie under the tail), but is situated ventrally, (ie somewhere near the navel). What happens in copulation is that Mr. Elephant has to adopt an unusual sitting/kneeling posture in order to get his (rather long, even for an elephant) penis anywhere near Mrs Elephant's opening. Once in this position, he would find pelvic motion difficult, so those well developed muscular adaptions come in useful. (Morgan uses the elephant as an example of an animal partially adapted to aquatic life - rudimentary fur, some evidence for face to face copulation, webbing of digits, good swimming ability, and a built in snorkel).
sbishop@desire.wright.edu (08/07/90)
In article <1990Aug6.162409.24034@ioe.lon.ac.uk>, teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) writes: > (Craig Werner) writes: > (Greg Kuperberg) writes: >>> The readers of this news group will have to excuse my ignorance on >>> this subject. I have some basic questions about the mechanics of >>> sex among large animals. >>> >>> In what position do a cow and a bull, for example, have sex? I have >>> trouble imagining the bull mounting the cow from behind without breaking >>> her back. How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary >>> between different large mammals? > > How about porcupines? > > Well, after observing a romantic pair at the zoo once, they copulate the same way, only the male has a VERY LONG penis and is very careful! ;-) >> >> Elephants have a very interesting mechanism. Two sets of muscles >>which are rudimentary in humans are fully developed to good use in bull >>elephants. In the case of elephants, thrusting would in fact probably >>severely injure the female. However, the elephant's penis, thanks to the >>aforementioned adaptation is capable of thrusting forward and back while >>the hips remain motionless. Furthermore, these same muscles retract the >>penis into a body cavity of sorts when it is "not in use." >> > > This is not the whole story though, is it? > > According to Morgan, (Descent of Women, and her later summary of the > Hardy-Morgan theory), elephantine copulation is rendered unusual by > the position of the vaginal opening. It is not found in the "usual" > posterior position (ie under the tail), but is situated ventrally, (ie > somewhere near the navel). > > What happens in copulation is that Mr. Elephant has to adopt an > unusual sitting/kneeling posture in order to get his (rather long, > even for an elephant) penis anywhere near Mrs Elephant's opening. Once > in this position, he would find pelvic motion difficult, so those well > developed muscular adaptions come in useful. > > (Morgan uses the elephant as an example of an animal partially adapted > to aquatic life - rudimentary fur, some evidence for face to face > copulation, webbing of digits, good swimming ability, and a built in > snorkel). Yes, this seems to be an aquatic adaptation. Interested persons might want to read _The Aquatic Ape_ which proposes the theory that man is an partially adapted aquatic animal. Take a good look at the description above. We have all of those except the built in snorkel and webbing of digits. We also have the mammalian dive reflex....
kja@cbnewsd.att.com (krista.j.anderson) (08/08/90)
<> <> > > How about elephants? Rhinoceri? Does the technique vary > > between different large mammals? My husband once checked out a video tape from a local video store that was called, I think, _Sex and the Animals_. It will show you want you want to know. ;-) (It was in the educational section.) -- Krista A. HONOR Our Neighbors' Origins and Rights!