HOUDAN AND SINGLB-COMB BLACK MINORCA. 



27 



Few characters are correlated ; the second hybrid generation exhibits all 

 combinations, except that high nostril and single comb do not occur together 

 here any more than they do in the Minorca- Polish hybrids. 



Among heterozygous individuals, with Y-shaped comb, the combination 

 of dominant characteristics (narrow nostril, no hernia, and white plumage) 

 is the commonest, forming nine-thirteenths of all. These are also, apart 

 from the Y-comb, all I,eghorn characteristics. It appears, too, with the given 

 parentage, that normal toes are usually present. The low nostril and cerebral 

 hernia combination occurs several times with or without extra toe. The 

 combination refutes the notion of Wright (quoted at page 8) that there is any 

 necessary relation between cerebral hernia and ' ' cavernous ' ' nostril. A 

 high nostril was in two instances (both of which died very young, one before 

 hatching) associated with a Y-comb, but it is doubtful if the median portion 

 would have developed. 



The single comb may occur associated with a hernia (e.g., No. 443, 

 fig. 14), with extra toes and with mottled plumage, but in my records so 

 far it is never associated with a high nostril. 



The V-shaped comb is commonly associated with high nostril, but rarely 

 with a low one, despite the fact that low nostril is dominant. It occurs on 

 white individuals thrice as frequently as on black-and-white ones ; it shows 

 no preference for the extra toe. 



The hernia is never found dissociated from the crest ; but the crest occurs 

 three times as often as the hernia. 



Series III. — Houdan and Single-comb Black IVIinorca. 



STATEMENT OF PROBLEM. 



This series was undertaken to compare the behavior of the Houdan with 

 that of the Polish (Series I, page 6) when crossed with the Minorca. 



THE RACES AS A WHOI,E. 



The Houdan is described at page 1 8 and the Black Minorca at page 6. 

 Both of the races are fundamental and old. The Houdan contains the 

 larger assemblage of new characteristics. 



TABLE OF CHARACTERISTICS. 



