1903. ] JAPANESE LONG-TAILED FOWLS. 237 
It seemed, therefore, that the growth of the feathers in Cock B 
was barely keeping pace with that in Cock A, although only in 
the former were the feathers pulled or stroked. In Cock A the 
longest feathers were the two central rectrices ; in B only one of 
the central rectrices was as long, the adult feathers having mostly 
started earlier in A than in B. 
Up to this time Cock A had been with the three hens, and B 
with the other cocks until I had got rid of these. 
1902, Jan. 8th.—On this date one of the hens laid the first egg. 
It was small and of light brown colour, like those the birds were 
hatched from. 
The hens have a low serrated comb and scarcely any wattles, 
only ved skin about the cheeks. 
Jan. 12th. Age 7 months.—In Cock A the 2nd pair of rectrices, 
counting from the middle, seemed to be coming to the end of their 
growth, the sheaths drying up and the quills forming. This pair 
were not so long as the corresponding pair in Cock B which 
had been pulled. The five outer pairs of rectrices had ceased 
growing in both cocks. These were broad and stiff and only about 
6 or 7 inches long, in fact like the rectrices of ordinary fowls. 
All the hens were now laying. One of the hens was put with 
Cock B, the other two with A. 
Feb. 4th. Age 7 months 22 days.— 
Cock A, longest feather......... 251 in. = 64 cm. 
GockeBe war Reacts 252 in, =65'7 cm. 
It is thus evident that the growth in B had been greater than 
in A. The feathers in B were pulled once or twice a day when- 
ever I was at home, and B was tied on the perch with his feathers 
loose at night, while A was usually left free with his tail rolled 
up in paper. The sheaths of the central rectrices, which were 
the longest feathers in both birds, were in Cock A shorter, and 
seemed as though growth were about to cease. 
It is to be noted here that so long as the feather is in full 
growth, the horny sheath which surrounds the base is milky 
white, or bluish white, and soft, while when growth ceases the 
sheath dries up and appears black because the feather is seen 
through it; then it scales off, and leaves the quill of the feather 
bare down to the surface of the skin. The quill at the base of a 
full-grown feather is only formed at the end of growth, and most 
of it is contained in the skin-socket. Thus I learned to recognise 
the approaching cessation of growth and formation of the quill by 
the appearance of the horny sheath. 
Feb, 10th.—One of the feathers was accidentally pulled out in 
Cock A while the tail was tied up in paper. I do not know how 
this occurred; I only saw the root of the feather hanging free 
while the length of it was held by the paper. When a growing 
feather is thus pulled out, the horny sheath comes out of the 
dermal socket and remains attached to the base of the feather, 
