254 dM.scs of Poultry 



amount of disease of the generative organs. The greater 

 the destruction of the ovarium and ovickiet, the nearer the 

 phmiage assimilated that of the male. 



"For example, in birds with the hen-plumage pre- 

 dominating, the ovarium and oviduct exist as in the 

 fecundating hen, the small ova lying in considerable numbers 

 in the ovarium, the ovarium and oviduct showing dark lead- 

 colored masses of disease. 



"In birds with the plumage of the male in a measure ex- 

 ceeding that of the female, the ovarium is considerably 

 diminished in size, dark-colored, and containing only a 

 few blackened ova ; the oviduct is spotted with dark patches, 

 and considerably contracted. 



" And thirdly, in birds w ith the male plumage predominat- 

 ing over that of the female, the ovarium is reduced to a 

 small dark amorphous mass, resembling the coagulated blood, 

 the presence of ova cannot be detected, and the oviduct is 

 almost entirely obliterated at its junction with the ovarium. 

 Thus it seems that there are three distinct phases in this pe- 

 culiar abnormal state of the generative functions. 



"I have also noticed that, in most cases where the male 

 plumage is in excess of the female, the tail-feathers are 

 particularly long, some being as much as 19 inches in length. 



"Although Mr. Yarrell states that this condition of the 

 female generative organs is not confined to the PhasianidcB, 

 and that it has occurred in the gold and silver pheasants, 

 partridges, pea-fowls, common-fowl, common pigeon, king- 

 fisher, the common duck, and that other classes of animals 

 are liable to an influence similar in kind, particularly among 

 insects and Crustacea, yet this disorganization is rarely 

 observed except among the Phasianidae , and particularly 

 when these birds are produced in a domestic state, i.e., 

 on the present system of breeding pheasants in preserves. 

 Very few battues take place in which some of these birds 



