ON THE ORIGIN OF DOUBLE-YOLKED EGGS. 183 



development of follicles at various points on the suspensoria as 

 in a, c, f, j, etc., Fig. I. 



If, owing to greater distances between the eggs, or to greater 

 stiffness on the part of the tunica, separate evaginations should 

 occur beneath three follicles as in Case III., diagram /, Fig. 3, 

 these if not too remote from one another might give rise to a 

 triple follicle, having a common suspensorium except near the 

 ovary where its multiple origin would still be apparent upon 

 close examination. These processes, represented diagram- 

 matically in g and //, would give rise to complexes similar to a 

 and b, Fig. i. If the number of follicles involved were greater, 

 more complicated results would follow. The possibilities of 

 greater complication are clearly indicated by a group of relatively 

 young follicles such as z, Fig. I, as well as by instances in which 

 follicles, of patently distinct origin proximally, have fused distally 

 with others with whom they were brought into contact second- 

 arily by mere accident. Good examples of adhesions of this 

 kind are follicles x and y, Fig. I. 



In its relation to the production of double-yolked eggs, this 

 ovary is full of suggestions. Follicle /, Fig. I, is an empty 

 double one, and there can be little doubt that it was instrumental 

 in the production of one of the abnormal eggs. Follicles a and a' f 

 contained yolks of essentially the same size, and there seems to 

 be no good reason for doubting that these two would have been 

 shed at the same time. In b, the follicles fall into two groups 

 of two each. In one of these they are distinctly larger than in 

 the other, but the follicles within each group are of the same 

 size. It seems likely that in this complex we have the physical 

 basis for the production of two double-yolked eggs in rapid suc- 

 cession. Z suggests the possibility of a series of abnormal eggs 

 such as this bird is known to have laid on several occasions. 



PHYSIOLOGY OF THE OVARY. 



The morphological findings and their interpretation leave open 

 the question as to how one may picture the physiology of this 

 organ. Follicle b, Fig. I, demonstrates the possibility of rela- 

 tively independent growth on the part of two groups of eggs, 

 as well as the possibility of synchronism in eggs belonging to the 



