198 Transactions. — Zoology. 



which were easily traceable to a black ewe getting away in the 

 season to a neighbour's white ram, not a white lamb has been 

 born in the flock. Last shearing the black flock numbered 

 1,300. When using a black ram to white ewes some of the 

 lambs are white, but about half the number are black. 



Last autumn I used white Lincoln rams, and the black 

 ewes have now following them pure-white lambs, many of 

 which are twins or pairs. There are a few black lambs, about 

 four to every hundred white ones. Six pairs of twins have 

 compromised matters, in that one of the two is white and the 

 other black. 



The reason of my changing the colour of my flock is that 

 my neighbours sell their white wool for 2d. per pound over 

 the price given for black wool of the Lincoln type, which is a. 

 vast difference now wool is selling at such a low figure ; and 

 to produce fat sheep for the freezing business it is necessary 

 to breed away from the merino, whose wool is of more value 

 when black, and which is made up into the finer clothing 

 materials. 



You will see from this result that by using white rams in 

 two years' time my flock will be entirely changed from black 

 to white, notwithstanding that the ewes have some ten genera- 

 tions of black ancestors. 



I will modify my description of the faces of the lighter- 

 coloured sheep of my flock, in that these have light-coloured 

 marks or bending stripes on a dark ground, and the outer 

 edges of the lips of a light colour. These marks give the face 

 a peculiar finished, perfect, or natural appearance, as of the 

 type of a feral ancestor. The mouth, tongue, and inner skin 

 of the lips are black. 



Since this paper was written I have met with the following 

 paragraph in Nature of the 28th June, 1900, page 201 : — 



" In a communication to the latest issue of the ' Proceedings 

 of the Philadelphia Academy,' Mr. Witmer Stone shows that 

 the various species of eider-duck, as well as the red-breasted 

 merganser, have a ' summer moulting plumage ' analogous to 

 that assumed by the mallard after the breeding season. As 

 in the last-named species, this plumage lasts only during the 

 time when the birds are unable to fly, owing to the shedding 

 of their flight-feathers, and its dull colouration is doubtless for 

 the purpose of rendering them as inconspicuous as possible 

 during this period. The author calls attention to the circum- 

 stance that the feathers of this temporary dress, like those of 

 the first plumage of all birds, are very inferior in their struc- 

 ture. The moulting plumage of the eider-duck has hitherto 

 been considered as the ordinary dress of immature birds." 

 So far as my own observation extends, I am of opinion that 



