30 GONADECTOMY IN RELATION TO THE SECONDARY 



esting, as it is unlikely that the birds had ever crowed before. The 

 reaction was shown for only a brief period, under very favorable 

 weather conditions in the spring. The males were kept with the females 

 throughout the summer, but were not heard to crow again that season, 

 although under daily observation. The mating reflex, however, was 

 also kept up. 



During the summers of 1914 and 1915 these capons were again 

 allowed to run with a large flock of females with which no other males 

 were kept. The behavior of these birds has been very much like that 

 of a normal male. I have not seen them chase the hens, but have seen 

 them tread the hens under the same circumstances as before. Both 

 crew occasionally and No. 1177 crew a good deal. He had a larger 

 comb than the other, was more active, and carried himself in the erect, 

 tense posture of active males and seemed more willing to tread the hens. 

 The pugnacity of both was tested by introducing a strange male from 

 time to time. On one or two occasions a fight resulted, in one of which 

 the more active capon (No. 1177) came off victorious for the time being. 

 After a few hours, however, the normal male returned to the attack and 

 drove both the capons off the floor. It is possible that the temporary 

 victory of the capon was due to the somewhat dazed condition of the 

 male when placed in the pen. As a rule, these capons have either left 

 the field at the first onslaught or fought very briefly. Usually, they did 

 not make the first attack. 



The autopsies on these birds show that while they were undoubtedly 

 almost completely caponized, there was a regeneration of tissue, the 

 exact nature of which will be reported upon later. It seems evident, 

 however, that this regeneration must have been slow and that to it 

 must be referred the growth of comb and wattles after a year and a half. 



Of another set of 4 Brown Leghorns castrated August 5, 1913, 

 3 proved to be good capons. They were kept with hens, males, and 

 other capons during most of the year. Two were used to brood chicks 

 in 1914. One of these was seen crowing in September of that year. 

 He was also noticed circling the hens, but as far as observed did not 

 tread any. 



A number of Rhode Island Red and Silver Penciled Wyandotte 

 capons also were under observation, and these, too, were essentially 

 similar both in respect to appearance and behavior. Several of these 

 were examined and found to be completely caponized; in others, 

 however, small amounts of tissue, like that noted above, were found. 



The results of removal of the testes from the young cockerel may be 

 stated as follows: His plumage at a suitable age becomes identical 

 with that of the cock, except that his feathers are longer. The comb 

 and wattles do not develop, except in proportion to the increase in 

 skull size. The spurs are like those of the cock, but become pointed 

 at an age when the latter's are still blunt. His behavior is anomalous in 



