ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 369 



Bantam female and Black Bantam male. From all of the above matings, 

 except (7), a large number of birds were obtained in the Fi generation. 



"Matings (1) and (2) gave typical sex-linked results: In (1), both the 

 males and the females are barred, while in (2), the reciprocal cross, only tha 

 males are barred, the females being entirely black like their father. In mat- 

 ings (3) and (4), no sex-linked characters have been observed. 



" The Fi birds from matings (5) and (6) show a number of points of interest. 

 The spangled pattern of the Hamburg is evidently sex-linked, but the pattern 

 is not transmitted for the entire body as a unit. In all of the offspring of both 

 crosses, the tail is pure black and shows no spangling whatever, but on the rest 

 of the body the pattern is inherited as a sex-linked character. From mating 

 (5), both cocks and hens are spangled, while from mating (6), the reciprocal 

 cross, only the males are spangled, the females being black with some scattered 

 brown and golden marliings. 



" The Bantam matings are of unusual importance by reason of the fact that 

 the Seabright male lacks the usual secondary sexual feathers of poultry, and 

 is therefore feathered like the female. The cocks of this breed have no 

 sickle feathers, and the long hackle and saddle feathers are also absent. The 

 crosses in question were made in order to determine the mode of inheritance 

 of this peculiarity. It is known, furthermore, that the Seabright cocks show a 

 greatly reduced fertility, and it is possible that a correlation exists between this 

 condition and the absence of secondary sexual characters. From the mating 

 (7), in which the Seabright cock was used, only 4 birds were obtained, 1 male 

 and 3 females. The cock has the usual sickle feathers and the hackles and 

 saddle. But in the mating (8), in which the reciprocal cross was made, all 

 of the cocks are hen-feathered. A complete analysis of this result will not be 

 possible until the next generation is obtained." 



Studies on the feather formation of dom^estic fowl, K. Andreas (Studien 

 iihrr die Lockeiv- und Struppbildung heim UausgcftugeL Inaug. Diss., Univ. 

 Bern, 1913, pp. Jf5, pis. 3). — A study of the feather formation and characteristics 

 of some unusual types of domestic fowl, and of the effect of domestication and 

 environment upon these characters. 



Early development of scale and feather, J. Schleidt (Arch. Mikros. Anat., 

 83 (1913), No. 1-2, I, pp. 118-129, pis. 2; abs. in Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc. [Lon- 

 don'], No. 1 (19-14), P- 53).— The author finds that the scales on the chick's feet 

 have primordia like those of reptilian scales. They consist of a proliferation 

 of epidermis and dermis. It is stated that the " foot of the chick and the fore 

 limb of the blackbird show embryonic down feathers on scales. At a very 

 early stage the down primordia are seen as special differentiations on the 

 scale primordia." 



It is concluded that there is no homology between scales, embryonic down 

 feathers, and definitive feathers. 



Effect of Rontgen rays on organs of chicken, H. Unzeitig (Arch. Mikros. 

 Anat., 82 (1913), No. 4, I, PP- 380-407, pi. 1, figs. 2; abs. in Jour. Roy. Micros. 

 Soc. [London], No. 1 (1914), p- 38). — It was found that "chickens can stand 

 about 2 hours' exposure to a given intensity of Rontgen rays. For a few days 

 following there is a marked reduction of body weight. Feathers often fall off. 

 The bursa fabricii becomes smaller and lighter, and in one case almost dis- 

 appeared. The lymphocytes of the cortical substance are destroyed in large 

 numbers, the number of follicles is reduced ; after the fifth day or so regenerative 

 processes often set in. The testes are very susceptible; there is marked loss 

 of weight and great destruction of sperm cells. The interstitial cells do not 

 seem to be affected. The spleen loses greatly in weight and there is a marked 

 reduction of lymphocytes." 



