No. 644] INHERITANCE OF PLUMAGE COLOR 249 



Data on the results of crosses involving these color vari- 

 eties are urgently needed, and the generalization offered 

 above is put forward as a temporary simplification in 

 lieu of but as an aid to more extensive research. 



The Black Component of the Columbian Pattern 

 When the experiments with buff and Columbian fowls 

 were begun it was supposed that at least two alternative 

 characters distinguished these varieties; viz., ground 

 color (white as opposed to buff) and pattern (black in 

 hackles, wing, and tail as opposed to self coloration). 

 The results of these experiments, a reexamination of the 

 parent types and a cursory review of poultry literature 

 indicate the error of this assumption. 



1. Experimental. — The first generation of the cross 

 Columbian X Buff consisted of birds intermediate between 

 the parental types in the amount of black pigment pres- 

 ent. If four arbitrary grades (1-2-3-4) in the reduction 

 of the amount of black in hackles, wing and tail are 

 made between typical Columbian and entire absence of 

 black (white or buff self) then the first generation is 

 found to consist of the following grades. 



If the buff parents are classified as self then the hy- 

 brids resemble the Columbian parent more closely. But 

 a careful examination of all the buff females used re- 

 vealed the presence in each of them of a small amount 

 of black pigment usually as broken patches or fine stipp- 

 ling in the tail and primary feathers, and occasional 

 traces in the hackles.*' The buffs, therefore, can not be 

 regarded as selfs and most of those used in these ex- 

 periments were assignable to grade-4. The amount of 



