ANNUAL MOLT IN R. L REDS 



21 



For the three generations in line A the mean time required to shed all wing 

 primaries was 98, 101.5, and 109.2 days, respectively. The corresponding dates 

 of completion were Oct. 20, Oct. 23, and Nov. 3. The mean time interval for 

 wing molt in the single generation of sons studied in line B was 115.5 days and 

 the date of completion was Nov. 13. These limited data suggest that there may 

 be a significant difference in molting of wing primaries between lines A and B. 



Table 13. — Molting Behavior in Males in Three Generations. 



Time required and date of completion of annual molt in fathers and sons 



of Lines A and B. 



Second Generation, 1942 



Neck (Cervical) 56 Sept. 9 49.0 Sept. 10 



Breast (Pectoral) 56 Sept. 9 59.5 Sept. 28 



Thigh (Femoral) 70 Nov. 4 59.5 Oct. 26 



Lower Leg (Tibial) ... 28 Oct. 7 35.0 Oct. 5 



Back (Dorsal) 56 Sept. 9 59.5 Sept. 14 



Wing Primaries 98 Oct. 21 101.5 Oct. 23 



Third Generation, 1943 



Neck (Cervical) 28 Oct. 6 42.0 Aug. 30 



Breast (Pectoral) 42 Oct. 6 33.6 Sept. 13 



Thigh (Femoral) 42 Oct. 6 42.0 Oct. 9 



Lower Leg (Tibial) .. . 28 Oct. 6 44.8 Oct. 17 



Back (Dorsal) 56 Sept. 8 56.0 Sept. 13 



Wing Primaries 98 Oct. 20 109.2 Nov. 3 



70 Sept. 23 35.0 Aug. 28 



14 Oct. 7 38.5 Sept 10 



56 Nov. 4 52.5 Oct. 23 



14 Nov. 4 35.0 Oct. 16 



126 Nov. 18 56.0 Sept. 14 



126 Dec. 2 



28 Sept. 9 



56 Oct. 7 



56 Oct. 21 



14 Sept. 23 



56 Sept. 9 



56 Nov. 4 



NOTE: 



U5.5 Nov. 13 



First Generation 

 Second Generation 

 Third Generation 



Line A 

 2 sons 



4 sons 



5 sons 



Line B 

 No sons available 

 4 sons 

 No sons available 



ABILITY TO LAY AFTER THE ONSET OF WING MOLT 



As previously pointed out, molting behavior in wing primaries was more con- 

 sistent and regular than in any of the other feather regions observed. An attempt 

 was made to breed for the ability to lay for a considerable period after molting 

 of wing primaries began. The rather limited data are presented in table 14. 



In the first two generations, line A exhibited a considerably shorter period of 

 wing molt than line B. In the third generation, line A showed a marked increase 

 in the time required for wing primary molting and line B a marked decline. 



In line A the date of completion of wing molt remained constant in the first 

 two generations but came two weeks earlier in the third generation. In line B 



