1920] ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 675 



TLere wjis a distinct tfiulency for each heu to lay eggs of characteristic size. 

 The fmiiit'iK-y curves of tlie weiglits of tlie eggs of iiuliviilnal birds were, in 

 general, uuinKKlai and are considered fairly syuinu'trical. A careful investi- 

 gation was made of the variability of the first year records in order to determine 

 the relationship between the standard deviations and the means. Standard 

 deviations were positively correlated with the means and covereti a wide range. 

 The coetlicients of variability covered a narrow range and their correlation 

 with the means was substantially zero. Under the circumstances, therefore, 

 ihe coefficient of variability was used throughout as a measure of variation. 



The changes In the weights of eggs of the individual hen throughout the 

 year were found to be fairly consistent. In the pullet year the eggs at first 

 were small, but they gradually increased in size, reaching a maximum in 

 April. They then decreased again, but later reached a second maxijnum in 

 September. Seasonal changes in later years were similar to these, although 

 the maxima became less marked in the course of time. 



No certain relationship was found between body weights of the birds and 

 the average weight or total weight of the eggs. 



It is planned to deal with the relationship between egg weight and number 

 of eggs in a subsequent publication of this series, but a practical application of 

 the relationship between the sprijig and autumn maxima and the number of 

 eggs has been noted from preliminary papers (E. S. K., 42, p. 770). 



Methods of pedigree breeding at the Government Poultry Farm, R. R. 

 Slocum {Amer. Poultry Advocate, 2S (1920), A'o. 8. pp. ^35-Jf37, figs. S).— The 

 pedigree hatching baskets and the chick-banding system in use at the U. S. 

 Experimental Farm. Beltsville, Md., are described. The chick bands employed 

 are No. 2 open pigeon bands. These are stamped in duplicate, one for each 

 leg, and are transferred to the wings as permanent records after three weeks. 

 Culling equipment, JIr. and Mrs. G. R. Shoup (Washington Sta., West 

 Wash. Sta. Mo. Bui., 8 (1920), No. 4, pp. 51,-58, figs. 2).— The authors describe 

 a sorting crate, herding screens, catching hook, catching net, and a drop 

 curtain for the roosting closet — devices useful in catching chickens for culling, 

 transfer to other quarters, etc. 



The sorting crate (4 by 2 by 1.5 ft.) is composed of slats and wire netting, 

 and one end forms a sliding door. The open end is applied to the hen opening 

 of the poultry house, and the birds are driven in with the aid of the wire 

 herding scn^ens. 



The relative position of yolks in eggs not turned for a period of three 

 weeks, B. F. Kaupp (Jour. Amer. Assoc. Instr. and Invest. Poultry Hush., 6 

 (1919), No. S, pp. 22, 23, pi. 1; also in Poultry Item, 22 (1920), No. 6, pp. 9, 10, 

 figs. 2). — The author reports the observation that the blastoderm does not 

 adhere to the shell membrane when an egg is kept in a constant position for 

 20 days, and cites fertility and hatching tests with 700 eggs which indicate 

 that the turning of eggs held for incubation is without definite influence on 

 the percentage of dead germs. 



The rate of growth of Single Comb White Leghorn chicks, B. F. Kaupp 

 (Jour. Amer. Assoc. Instr. and Invest. Poultry Hush., 5 (1919), No. 8, pp. 60- 

 62). — The author repeats the growth data given in a previous paper (E. S. R., 

 39, p. 577), and discusses them with respect to the amounts of feed required 

 per unit gain each week for the first eight weeks. 



Poultry [experiments at the Nebraska Station] (Nebraska Sta. Rpt. 1919, 

 pp. 11-lS). — Progress reports are presented of (1) selection experiments to im- 

 prove egg production and early maturity of pullets; (2) studies of the con 

 ditions influencing maturity, and (3) a study of the physical and chemical 

 characteristics of feeds with reference to their palatabillty. 



