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Observations an the Reproduction of' Domestic Foxds. By M. 



GlBOU DE BUZAREINGUES. 



From the facts whicli I have had the honour of communicating; 

 to the Academy, there results, that in the domestic Mammifera, 

 the too young and too old females, as well as those which are ill 

 fed, or of weak constitution, or subjected to laborious exercises 

 at the period of copulation, produce in general a greater number 

 of males than those which are middle-aged and in a fine state of 

 vigour and health, especially if the latter are covered by vigo- 

 rous males of strong constitution and middle-aged, and the 

 former by too young or old males, or such as are of feeble con- 

 stitution. 



It appeared tome interesting to know if this was also the case 

 in domestic fowls, and although I have not yet obtained enough 

 of facts from my experiments to solve the question, the Academy 

 will perhaps be induced by the importance of the subject to re- 

 ceive what I have obtained. 



Rozier has asserted his having observed in turkeys that, when 

 the animal has issued from the egg, and several days after, the 

 female is larger than the male, and has added, that, by following 

 this indication, one need not be deceived as to the sex of these 

 birds. But facts only prove that, among the largest of newly 

 hatched turkeys, there are somewhat more females than males; 

 and this is the only fact which I have yet obtained from my obser- 

 vations on the reproduction of these birds: for the humidity of 

 the last month of May, which thwarted me much in all my ex- 

 periments, destroyed at least three-fourths of my turkeys, before 

 I could determine their sex. 



I have not been more fortunate in my experiments on ducks' 

 eggs, an accident having deprived me of all my ducklings im- 

 mediately after they were hatched. 



The common hen, in short, has furnished the only observa- 

 tions which deserve to be mentioned. 



I wished to know whether large or small, long or short eggs, 

 yield most males or females. 



