MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 25 



The case described presents for consideration certain deii- 

 nite and clear-cut results bearing on the problem of secondary 

 sex characters. This cow had been a perfectly normal female 

 and had performed all the reproductive functions, both primary 

 and secondary, of the sex. It later assumed certain of the 

 secondary characters of the male, both in respect of structure 

 and behavior, with perfect deliniteness, and, so far as the 

 characters concerned go, completeness. The outstanding, and 

 so far as could be determined the only significant, anatomical 

 and physiological difference between the ovaries of this abnor- 

 mal cow and those of a normal one, consists in the fact that thb 

 former lacked any of the tissue normally composing the yellow 

 bodies or corpora lutea. 



Cystic degeneration of the ovaries is one of the commonest 

 causes of sterility (failure to breed) in cattle. No cure for it 

 has been discovered up to this time, except a form of surgical 

 interference, which has been reported from Switzerland as 

 successful in a percentage of cases when applied by a skilled 

 veterinarian. This is, however, not a practical treatment for 

 the ordinary farmer. The results of the present study sug- 

 gest, as worthy of trial, the administration of corpus luteum 

 substance as a therapeutic measure in these cases of cystic 

 degeneration. There is some reason to believe that if the case 

 were not of too long standing a cure might be affected by this 

 means. It must be understood, that in the light of presciit 

 knowledge this is merely a suggestion, and is not put forth as a 

 guaranteed cure in any sense of the zuord zuhatez'er. It would, 

 however, seem worth a trial. The use of this material for 

 somewhat analogous conditions in human medicine has met 

 with marked success in some cases. 



Some experiments along the line suggested are being carried 

 on at the present time. 



V. The Inheritance of Milk and Butter Fat PRODUCiNr, 



Ability. 



Work on this line has proceeded during the year along the 

 two general divisions outlined in earlier reports, viz. (a) the 

 analysis of existing records, and (b) breeding experiments 

 along Mendelian lines. 



3 



