1908.] inheritance of colour in pigeons. 93 



Barb-Fantail-Nun Cross. 



In this small series of experiments the F, 1 Barb-Fantails 

 were mated to the F. 1 Barb-lSTuns. ISTo reversionary blues 

 ^appeared. The forms produced are scheduled in Table V. Some 

 were definitely black, and the remainder showed combinations of 

 hlack and white in various proportions. The composition of these 

 latter was not investigated further, but it may be noted that one 

 "bird (No. 70) agreed exactly with the F. 1 jSTun-Fantails described 

 below. As would be expected, no whites appeared. 



The further matings show that the extracted blacks in F. 2 breed 

 true. No blues were produced; and the black colour W9.s rich 

 and deep in hue, so that no indications of wing- or tail-bars were 

 discernible. 



An extracted black mated in Exp. 42 to an extracted white 

 from the Barb-Fantail Experiment gave offspring which were 

 indistinguishable from those produced in F. 1 from a black Barb 

 and a white Fantail. 



F. 1 Barh-Fantails mated to F. 1 Barh-ISfitns. 



Exp. 37.— F. 1 Barb-Nim $ 18 x F. 1 Barb-Fantail S 68. 

 Exp. 38.— F. 1 Barb-Nun $ 8 x F. 1 Barb-Fantail c? 71. 

 Exp. 39.— F. 1 Barb-Fantail $ 63 X F. 1 Barb-Nun S 54. 



All these birds were black with a few white feathers. The 

 Barb-Fantails were raised in Exp. 1, the Barb-Nuns in Exp. 34. 

 The Barb-Fantails 63 & 71 are the same as used in Exp. 3, and the 

 Barb-Nuns 8 & 54 are those mated together in Exp. 35. 

 From the three matings twenty young were produced : — 



5 Blacks. 



7 Black with few white feathers. 



7 Mottled. 



1 White with a few black feathers in the tail (No. 70). 

 The notes on the details of the markings of these birds are un- 

 fortunately very scanty. In the blacks with a few white feathers 

 the white appeared, when it was noted, on the rump and vent. 

 In one case there was a white flight, and in another there were 

 a few white tail-feathers. Of the seven mottled birds three are 

 recorded as having the white in excess of the black. It was noted 

 that the tail was black in the mottled birds, one bird, however, 

 had one white tail-feather. The head was generally black ; the 

 flight-feathers varied, in some cases being all white, and in others 

 mostly black. 



Testing the Extracted Blacks from the three foregoing 

 Experiments. 



Exp. 40.— Black BF. BN § 53 x Black BF. BN S 45. 

 Exp. 41.— Black BF.BN $ 65 x Black BF. BN ^ 45. 



2 53 was raised in Exp. 38, $ 65 in Exp. 37, and S 45 (used 

 -in both matings) in Exp. 39. 



Nine young birds were produced, all being black. 



