42 



INHERITANCE IN RABBITS 



A sister of 9178, viz, 9175 (table 5), had a son (^492) by the lop- 

 eared male 179. This last-named rabbit was a son of the old female lop 

 whose skeletal measurements are recorded in table 29 and of the old male 

 lop whose skull measurements are recorded in table 30. His own skele- 

 ton was not preserved, nor was the skeleton of 9 175 preserved, but if 

 each was in skeletal character the mean of its parents, and if their son 

 (0*492) was intermediate between them in character, we should expect 

 his measurements to resemble the dimensions entered in column 4 of table 

 30. A comparison of this column with the next one shows that such was 

 the case. 



TABLE 29. Bone measurements of $ 248 and of his parents. 



A brother of 9 178, viz, c? 176 (table 5), was mated with the old female 

 lop and had young which are described in table 6. One of these was the 

 three-quarter-blood lop 9 504. Certain of her skeletal measurements are 

 recorded in the last column but one of table 30. Her skull unfortunately 

 was accidentally destroyed in preparation. If c? 176 had skeletal measure- 

 ments like those of his sister (9 178) we should expect the daughter (9 504) 

 to approximate the dimensions entered in column 6, table 30, which is 

 the case. In fact, however, ^176 had ears less long than those of his 

 sister, and it is probable that his skeletal dimensions also were less, which 

 would account for the fact that $ 504 falls somewhat below the skeletal 

 dimensions given in table 30, column 6. 



