424 ■ H. D. GOODALE 



The bird was placed in one of the laying houses in the fall in 

 order to watch its behavior. In particular it was desired to see 

 if the bird would make visits to the trap nests, not that it was 

 expected that eggs would be laid — a physical impossibility. Nor- 

 mal hens often make visits to the nests without lajdng, some- 

 times for periods of several months at a time. The feminized 

 cockerel made only one visit, probably accidental. 



During the spring the bird's comb and wattles began to grow 

 and became very red. On several occasions the bird was both 

 seen and heard crowing. It was also observed treading the hens. 

 It is unusual for a hen to tread another even in the absence 

 of the male. Although such cases have been recorded, only 

 one instance has come under my personal observation. Crowing 

 hens are likewise on record but they, too, are rare. I have not 

 seen such a bird crow, though we had a hen at one time that 

 was suspected of crowing. Later in the season the comb and 

 wattles became somewhat shrunken and the bird ceased crowing. 

 Although in fair flesh, the bird did not seem in the best of health. 

 Often it staggered slightly in moving about. This condition 

 continued for more than two months until the bird was killed. 

 This was done July 30. The autopsy showed the following find- 

 ings: Weight 3 pounds, 7 ounces; oviduct not found, nor were 

 vasa deferentia ; spleen hypertrophied ; very little body fat ; bursa 

 fabricii not found. Ovarian tissue was found in the following 

 positions: On the left side one piece was attached to the hoclj 

 wall, ribs and transverse septum and enclosed in a serum filled 

 sack. The ova were very small, not more than a millimeter in 

 diameter. A second mass lay on the surface of the kidney just 

 lateral to the junction of the iliac with the vena cava. Four of 

 the pieces placed on the right side were found to have become 

 attached, three of them in the form of elongated masses, one 

 attached to the ribs, another to the transverse septum and liver, 

 while the third was attached to the mid-dorsal mesentery at the 

 level of the adrenal. The fourth had adhered to the outer body 

 wall. Some of the ova on this side reached 3 mm. in diameter. 

 There were no evidences of empty follicles. The blood supply 

 of the pieces of ovum on this side was well developed. 



