274 Maine; agricuIvTural i^xperime^nt station. iqi2. 



position and of relatively the same size. She also had on the 

 right hind quarter a splash of white similar to that which is 

 shown on the flank of the calf in Fig. 448. The coat color of 

 this bull calf did not change substantially during life. 



Both of the heifers of the triplets were typical Herefords, 

 both as to color coat and to color pattern. The hair on the pig- 

 mented portions of the body was red in color. Both individuals 

 showed the white face which is typical for Herefords. One of 

 these heifers resembled her sire very closely in respect to de- 

 tails of color pattern. Although in Figures 448 and 449 these 

 two heifers look very much alike, as a matter of fact they were 

 not absolutely identical in respect to color pattern. Particular 

 attention was paid to this point in studying these calves because 

 of the possibility, if not probability, that the two females might 

 be identical or enzygotic twins ; that is that they might have 

 arisen from the two first blastomeres of a single egg. Whether 

 or not this was the case, at any rate the two individuals were 

 not absolutely identical, quantitatively, in respect to color pat- 

 tern. The coat color of the heifers darkened considerably dur- 

 ing their lives. This darkening was not equally great in amount 

 in both cases. In a letter of January 10, 1910. Mr. Walter had 

 the following to say in regard to the condition of the triplets 

 in respect to coat color at that time when they were nearly 3 

 years old. "One (of the heifers) is red and a perfect beauty. 

 The other just a little taller, shades on the brown. Still they 

 look very much alike. The bull is a typical Guernsey, larger 

 than the heifers, well made and getting fine stock." 



Externally the triplets gave no evidence of any abnormality 

 or defect in the sexual organs. The bull was typically mascu- 

 line in appearance and the heifers typically feminine. There 

 was nothing whatever in the appearance of the heifers to sug- 

 gest hermaphroditism. The bearing of this statement will be 

 apparent when the breeding history of the triplets is com- 

 pleted. 



3. Description of Parents of Triplets. The sire of these 

 triplets was a grade Hereford showing the white face and body 

 of nearly solid color typical for that breed. In his ancestry 

 there was said to be a small admixture of Holstein "blood." 

 Presumably in consequence of this arose the fact that his coat 



