EFFECTS OF INBREEDING ON BODY WEIGHT 



29 



series of animals whose weight records were taken at frequent 

 intervals from the time of weaning until natural death, Slonaker 

 found that the ten males attained their average maximum body 

 weight of 247.5 grams when they were 434 days of age, and that 

 the six females reached their maximum weight of 151.8 grams 

 somewhat earlier than did the males i.e. at 375 days of age. 

 After the maximum was reached there was a slow but steady 



o ' ' 20 40 60- ' 80 i do 120 40 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340.360.380.400 420 440 460 4S0 



Fig. 10 .Graphs showing the increase in the weight of the body with age for 

 males and for females belonging in various generations of the two series combined 

 (A, B). Data in table 3 and in table 13. A and B, graphs for individuals in the 

 seventh to the fifteenth generations inclusive; C and D, graphs for animals in 

 the first six inbred generations. 



decline in body weight, although the animals appeared to be in 

 good physical condition, and some of them lived to be nearly 

 four years old. 



The graphs in figure 10 show the weight increase with age for 

 the total number of males and females in the two inbred series 

 for which weight records were obtained (data in table 3 and in 

 table 13). 



