114 TEIJI HOSHINO 



Male C-B9, with which the ataxic female (151) was mated for 

 a short period prior to her mating with the scraggy male, was 

 a pure wild rock pigeon (Columba livia). It was hatched in 

 1910 from parents obtained (1908) from the caves of Cromarty, 

 Scotland. The three offspring of this very strong and vigorous 

 male and the ataxic female were normal in appearance and be- 

 havior; but in the next generation a portion of the offspring ex- 

 hibited ataxia. No white color has thus far appeared in any of 

 their descendants. 



Ataxia, scraggliness, and white color have all appeared in three 

 generations derived from the mating of the scraggly male and 

 ataxic female. Without here entering into full considerations of 

 the proportions of abnormals to normals for each of these three 

 characteristics in the different generations, it can be said that the 

 first generation showed relatively few abnormals — ataxics, scrag- 

 glies, or whites. Later generations have shown higher propor- 

 tions of affected individuals, and the combination of ataxia and 

 scraggliness has there been obtained. 



The ataxia of the original ataxic bird (no. 151) disappeared 

 some time after she became adult. When she died recently, she 

 seemed quite normal. This is not true of many or most of later 

 ataxics, which show much more extensive lack of coordinations, 

 and maintain them till the end of life. Of course, the extreme 

 ataxics do not live long. Doctor Riddle describes the scraggli- 

 ness as follows: This, he says, is a plumage defect; the feathers 

 lack barbules and hooklets, and as a result the barbs of all feath- 

 ers of all these birds hang loosely apart so that the wing feathers 

 give no resistance to the air, and the birds cannot fly. Such 

 feathers present a very peculiar and bristling appearance. 



The statement concerning pedigree, and behavior of each of 

 the four birds, which were sent us runs as follows : 



No. K137. Young of cage 131. Second gencraon hybrid (not 

 counting original ataxic and scraggly as first generation). Parents: 

 male A 156 and female A I Hi (neither of which showed ataxia or scraggli- 

 The parents of these latter: original ataxic female 151 and 

 original scraggly male A 126, from eggs laid 4/8/17. Ataxic — gaitun- 

 steady; flics very little or not at all; lips backward, and also tends to 

 1 in sidewise. 



