OVARIAN STRUCTURE IN AN ABNORMAL 

 PIGEON. 



MICHAEL F. GUYER. 



In the course of my studies on the spermatogenesis and 

 ovogenesis of the pigeon, a peculiar abnormal case came into 

 notice which seems deserving of special mention because of its 

 comparative isolation from the main subject, as well as for cer- 

 tain very interesting features it presents. The case was that 

 of a dove which showed many unusual traits. Her actions and 

 general appearance were very singular, and an anatomical ex- 

 amination revealed in the ovary a structural difference from the 

 common type. 



Whether the bird exhibited true arrhenoidy, — the female 

 taking on the external characteristics of the male, — as described 

 and named by Brandt ('89), is rather hard to determine, because 

 the male and female doves are not to be distinguished ordinarily 

 by means of their plumage. The abnormalities in the structure 

 of the ovary, however, seem to be of much the same nature as 

 he described for such conditions. Willey ('91) reports a some- 

 what similar case in the domestic duck. 



The dove was a white bird with a faint yellowish ring around 

 the back of her neck. She came into my possession through the 

 kindness of Dr. Watase, who raised her from a pair which he 

 obtained originally in 1897 from the collection of Professor 

 Whitman. 



To Professor Whitman I am indebted for the following 

 account of her genealogy. Very generously he has also sup- 

 plied me largely with the material for the research upon the 

 spermatogenesis of hybrids and of normal pigeons, in which I 

 am at present engaged, and my obligations to him are very 



great. 



The original ancestors of the dove in question were an 

 ordinary ringdove {Tjirtur risorius) and a Vienna white {Coliimba 



