29O MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I916. 



tions in dimensions, shape and size; (4) the frequency of the 

 occurrence of dwarf eggs compared to normal eggs and of 

 dwarf egg producers compared to birds which do not lay dwarf 

 eggs; (5) tne seasonal distribution of dwarf eggs; (6) dwarf 

 egg production by birds with normal and with abnormal ovi- 

 ducts; (7) the relation of dwarf egg production by normal 

 birds to the age of the bird and to the position of the egg in 

 the clutch and litter; (8) physiological conditions which lead 

 to dwarf egg production ; (9) the relation of the production 

 of dwarf eggs to other abnormal phenomena of reproduction 

 which either occur in nature or have been experimentally pro- 

 duced; and (10) the contribution which the study of the physi- 

 ology of dwarf egg production makes to our knowledge of the 

 normal physiology of egg production. 



In the eight years from February 1, 1908, to February 1, 

 1916, 298 dwarf eggs are known to have been produced at this 

 plant. The weight of 275 of these was taken and in 261 of 

 these cases the length and breadth was also measured and the 

 length-breadth index calculated. Of the 298 eggs recorded 

 274 were opened and their contents were examined. Several of 

 the dwarf eggs were floor eggs and a few were laid by bird? 

 on which no egg record was kept. In 251 cases, however, the 

 egg record of the bird laying the dwarf egg is available. Fur- 

 ther several of these birds were autopsied and the condition of 

 their sex organs observed. 





