384 



COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



though the latter may outnumber the male fifteen to one. This 

 is not an idle thought; it is true. In fact, in some cases it is 

 highly probable that the influence of the male is even greater 

 than a half— ma.yhe three-quarters. 



Prepotency of the Male. — This belief is certainly true of the 

 male's ability to transmit type and color to his progeny. There- 

 fore, if he can dominate certain important characteristics, is it 

 not reasonable to suppose that he may dominate all of them? 

 We assume, of course, that to so do, his vitality and constitu- 



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{California Experiment Station) 

 Fig. 252. — Plans for a catching coop. 



tional vigor are equally as strong as the female's, if not stronger. 

 More than that, we assume that he possesses the faculty or capa- 

 city of transmitting his qualities. This qualification is sometimes 

 spoken of as prepotency. 



Like Does Not Always Bfeget Like. — One of the greatest im- 

 pediments to the successful breeder of poultry is the inability to 

 select male birds of the required type. There is an old saying 

 that "like begets like." In a general sense this is true, but not 

 always so, because of which the idea becomes a subject worthy 



