ATAVISM OR REVERSION. 149 
Hunter? recorded some examples of this ; the following 
is one of them :— 
“Lady Tynte had a favourite pyed pea-hen which had 
produced chickens eight several times. Having moulted 
when about eleven years old, the lady and family were 
astonished by her displaying the feathers peculiar to the 
other sex, and appeared like a pyed peacock. In this 
process the tail, which became like that of a cock, first 
made its appearance after moulting ; and in the following 
year, having moulted again, produced similar feathers. 
In the third year she did the same; and, in addition, 
had spurs resembling those of a cock. She never bred 
after this change in her plumage, and died in the 
following winter during the hard frost, in the year 
1775-6.” 
The change here described, and now seen in a 
large number of birds—indeed, I know of no game- 
keeper of experience who has not seen such speci- 
mens—has been shown conclusively to be associated 
with atrophy or non-development of the ovary. 
The best marked case that has come under my 
observation occurred in a hen golden pheasant. I 
watched the bird for two years. She presented the 
resplendent dress of the cock, but her plumage 
was not quite so brilliant, had no spurs, and the iris 
was not encircled by the ring of white so conspicuous 
in the male. Coincident with the change of plumage 
she ceased to lay eggs. After this transformation she 
lived happily with her mate for two years, and in spite 
* An Account of an Extraordinary Hen Pheasant (“ Observation 
on the Animal Géconomy”’), 
