ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 263 



qualities of tlie Belgian, Percheron. French Draft, Clydesdale, Shire, and Suf- 

 folk breeds of draft horses under American conditions. 



The South Oldenburg horse and the influence of environment, H. Bur- 

 MEisTEB {Kuhn Arch., 3 (1913), pt. 2, pp. 397-505).— A. description is given of 

 the climatic and environmental conditions of South Oldenburg, together with 

 a review of the history of horse breeding in that Province since 1820, Body 

 measurements were made of stallions, mares, and geldings from 1 to 21 

 years old. 



A comparison of these measurements shows an increase in height at the 

 withers, height of back, height at croup, breast circumference, breadth of 

 breast, and breadth of croup during the past 20 years. Color has changed 

 slightly, brown greatly predominating but on the decrease, black and chestnut 

 increasing, and white decreasing. 



The Beery system of horsemanship, J. Beery (Pleasant Hill, Ohio, 19Vh 

 pp. [SiS], pi. 1, figs. 172). — A series of lessons on special methods of horse- 

 breaking and training. The topics included are colt training, disposition and 

 subjection, kicking and balking, shying and running away, shoeing, halter 

 pulling, promiscuous vices, overcoming special fears, and teaching ti'icks. 



The anterior lobe of the pituitary body in its relationship to the early 

 growth period of birds, Rosalind Wulzen (Amer. Jour. Physiol., 34 (1914), 

 No. 2, pp. 127-139, figs. 7). — From experiments carried on with two groups of 

 White Leghorn chickens two and nine days old at the start, and fed an amount 

 of pituitary material roughly equal to 0.01 of the average body weight of the 

 chicks, and compared with liver-fed chicks, it is concluded that " the growth of 

 young fowl is retarded by the addition to the diet of fresh, unmodified anterior 

 lobe of ox pituitary. This is shown both in body weight and in length of the 

 long bones. Involution of the thymus accompanies this retardation and may 

 bear a causal relation to it. These effects are more marked in the males than 

 in the females." 



The influence of the male parent on the character of the eggshells in 

 fowls, A. R. Walther (Landw. Jahrb., 46 (1914), No- 1, pp. 89-104) .—Dv^avt 

 fowls, comprising three different breeds, and medium-sized fowls, also com- 

 prising three breeds, were interbred, all the hens being first mated with cocks 

 of their own breed, and the cock being then removed and an interval of ten 

 days allowed to elapse before he was replaced by a cock of another breed. It 

 was concluded that the fact of the cock's belonging to a different breed had 

 no influence upon either the weight, shape, color, or gloss of the eggs, thus 

 discrediting the claims of influence of telegony made by certain investigators. 



The histological basis of the different shank colors in the domestic fowl, 

 H. R. Barrows (Maine Sta. Bui. 232 (1914), pp. 237-252, pis. 6).— In a study 

 of the histological conditions that are associated with the different shank 

 colors observed in fowls it was found that " yellow and variations are due to the 

 presence of lipochrome pigment in the epidermis, with the absence of melanin 

 pigment. White results from the lack of pigment. Blue color obtains when 

 melanin pigment lies in the upper dermis, with the absence of this type of 

 pigment in the epidermis. Black and variations depend upon the presence of 

 melanin pigment in the epidermis. Green appears when lipochrome pigment 

 lies in the epidermis, and melanin pigment in the corium only. All shades, 

 with the exception of red and pink, are the result of various combinations of 

 these pigments : Orange-yellow and black-brown." 



A table is given showing the nature and location in the skin of the different 

 types of pigment concerned in producing each shank color. A bibliography of 

 14 references is included. 



