298 



THE AMETUCAN NATURALIST [Vol. LV 



chick being marked with a numbered wingband. The 

 system of keeping pedigree records in use has been de- 

 scribed elsewhere (Lippincott, 1918?>) and need not be 

 repeated. The descriptions were checked when the chicks 

 were three weeks old, and again at some considerably 

 later, though not specified, time, when the birds were leg- 

 banded for the breeding-pen or laying-house, or were sent 

 to market. The descriptions of all chicks dying were 

 carefully checked at the time they were found, though a 

 small number disappeared without their descriptions 

 being checked. Unless there was reason to suspect that 

 their classification might be likely to change after the 

 taking of the first description such individuals were 

 counted. 



F()i-tnn;itcl\- tin- different classes of offspring could for 

 the iiio>! {);n-; he distinguished in the down, and counts 

 were accdrdiiigl) made of chicks which reached an ad- 

 vanced stage of development but which failed to hatch. 

 It was the practise to test all eggs for live germs at the 

 end of the tenth day of incubation and remove all infertile 

 and dead eugs. A second testing was made on the eight- 

 eenth d;i> when ;il! tlie dead eggs found were opened, the 

 rnihry((> (h'seiMhcd and their sex recorded. On the 

 tw.'nty-second day. after the liatch was well over, all the 

 eggs which faih'il lo liatch were opened and the descrip- 

 tions of the dead chicks niaih' a matter of record. 



In most caso tin' einl)i>()s from crosses among the 

 three color t\ pe. of An.lalii-ians which pa>sed the first 

 test, deveh)i)ed far enough so that tlu' differentiation 

 between coh)r types could be made with precision after 

 the down had been carefully wa>hed. and dried with the 

 aid o!" an elect imc fan. In those cfosses invoK ing reces- 

 >iv.. white i)aivnt>, only tho>.. unhatched chicks could be 

 cnunted which live.l past the ci-hteellth day. 



Th..n- ^^rvr po^^ibh' M.lll•ce^ of confusion in the 



cla^Hlicatir.n of the chicks in the down. ^Fhese were the 

 diffeieiitiaiiuns between blacks and occasional very dark 

 ])lues, and between blue-splashed and recessive whites. 



