398 C. H. DANFORTH 



because they were more nearly alike than any other two raised 

 in the 1917 flock. They were at least half-brothers, possibly 

 full-brothers. It may be noted in passing that no. 27 was pro- 

 duced before the father had been alcoholized, no. 28 after the 

 alcohol treatment had begun. No. 28 was white with a large 

 walnut-rose comb. He was polydactyl, grade 3 + , showing 

 a trace of a sixth toe on the left foot; booted, grade 2, and with 

 an index of brachydactyly equal to 70. It may be observed 

 that brachydactyly and Polydactyly were more pronounced 

 in this specimen than in any of the other individuals used in 

 the four experiments. 



The homozygous parents were six black Minorca hens similar 

 to those used in experiment 2 and from the same source. In 

 so far as the stock was concerned, the material for experiments 

 2 and 3 was as nearly identical as it was possible to make it. 

 The two flocks were kept in the same room separated from each 

 other only by a wire partition from floor to ceiling. 



A. Alcohol treatment of no. 28 began on February 9 with 

 two one-hour periods and continued till April 7. The length of 

 the treatments gradually, but rather irregularly, increased till 

 on April 7 two periods of two hours each were administered. 

 Throughout the whole time this bird was much more severely 

 affected than either of the other males, even when the treat- 

 ments were of the same intensity. 'Weak', 'aimless,' 'walked 

 in circles,' etc., are among the notations. As another indication 

 of the_ somewhat different reaction of this bird it may be men- 

 tioned that no. 8, no. 27, and the alcoholized hens showed a 

 tendency not to defecate during the treatments, at least after 

 the first fews days. This was not the case with no. 27. No. 8 

 defecated only once during the whole period and no. 27 only 

 three times, while no. 28 defecated thirty-six times. During 

 a period of fifty-eight days he was kept in the alcohol vapor 

 for a total of 141 hours and 32 minutes (table 1). 



The hens began laying February 19, and eggs were saved 

 from that date till April 8, during which time 151 were produced. 

 Of these, one laid February 26 was cracked, the other 150 were 

 incubated (table 2). 



