248 PEARL— EFFECT OF CERTAIN POISONS 



Their apparently much better mortality record is indeed conspicuous, 

 but in view of the small numbers involved, no great significance 

 can be attached to it. It is probable that with larger numbers of 

 birds as the experiments proceed this apparent superiority in rela- 

 tive mortality will disappear or be much reduced. 



Regarding egg production the following details are of interest : 



The egg production of the treated birds and the untreated con- 

 trols was entirely normal in respect of its seasonal distribution, as 

 well as in regard to its amount. 



There has been no significant difference in the egg production of 

 the treated birds and their untreated control sisters, either in the 

 total average number of eggs produced per bird, or in the seasonal 

 distribution of this production. Taking the whole untreated flock, 

 the mean production per bird in the 15 months was 184.74 eggs, while 

 the mean production for the treated birds was 183.97, making a dif- 

 ference of 0.77 egg in favor of the untreated. Taking the " special 

 control " mean of 180.80 eggs there is a difference between this and 

 the treated of 3.17 eggs in favor of the treated. Obviously the only 

 conclusion which can be drawn from these insignificant differences 

 is that the inhalation treatment has not affected the egg produc- 

 tion of the birds, either favorably or adversely. 



During the months of July, 1915, to October, 1915, inclusive the 

 mean production of the treated birds fell below that of the control 

 sisters. The difference between the two curves in this region, how- 

 ever, is no greater than may at any time occur between two similarly 

 managed groups of sisters, according to the writer's experience with 

 egg records. There appears to be no reason to attach any signifi- 

 cance to this dip of the treated below the control curve. Taking the 

 whole period covered by the report it is clear that the two curves 

 wind about one another, now one, now the other being uppermost, 

 just as curves for two random samples of the same material would 

 be expected to do. 



B. In the F-^ Progeny of Treated Individuals. 



In this section of the paper it is proposed to discuss the effects, 

 so far as any are observable, of the alcoholization of one or both of 

 the parents upon the progeny in the first generation. Different 



