NOTES. 



77 



only. Occasionally an opaque fragment was present, which 

 appeared under the microscope to consist of yolk granules. 



On 25th April the fowl was sacrificed upon the altar of Minerva. 

 One naturally expected to find the ovary deficient in some respect 

 On the contrary, the ovary was very large, contained ova in all 

 stages of development up to submature and mature yolks, the 

 largest of which measured 1^ inch (28'5 mm.) across and 1^ inch 

 (82 mm.) from the stalk of attachment of the capsule to the 

 opposite pole. There were also several collapsed capsules which 

 had dehisced and presumably liberated their contained yolks into 

 the body-cavity. What became of these it is impossible to say. 

 It should be mentioned that the fowl was excessively fat. 



Dwarf eggs of domestic fowl. Natural size. 



There was no occlusion of the lumen of the oviduct, though the 

 funnel was turned to the left away from the ovary, its two borders 

 being placed in contact by the pressure of the neighbouring 

 turgid ovary. 



The hen was apparently egg-bound, though what causes operated 

 to produce this result I am unable to say. 



The actual dimensions of the dwarf eggs vary from 20 mm. to 

 30 mm. in length, and from 12*.5 mm. to 18*5 mm. in maximum 

 transverse diameter. The shape shows all gradations from ellip- 

 tical to oval. The last egg laid on 23rd April carries a peculiar 

 appendix or knob at the narrow end (see fig.). I am told it is 

 a frequent occurrence here for the first two or three eggs of a 

 fowl to be small and yolkless, and it is not impossible that this 

 bird would have recovered its normal functions in time. 



Colombo, October 10, 1903. A. WILLEY. 



M 25' 03 



