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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. LY 



matings. In order to secure evidence concerning this 

 relation, six blue Andalusian males were caponized dur- 

 ing the summer of 1919. Into the body cavities of three 

 of them ovarian tissue from nearly related females was 

 introduced, the other three being kept as checks. The 

 operating was done on July 24 and the birds turned out 

 on range with hundreds of other birds one week later. 

 On September 19 one of them (wingband 1387) was killed 

 by a skunk. At that time it was entirely' blue, there being 

 less contrast Ijetwecii tlio I'cgioiis that are dark in the 

 male (hackle, hack niid saddle) and llie other regions of 

 tlie l)ody than t i'e(|nent i\- iippeni-s in blue pullets before 

 comb deve]oi)inen1 indicates the approach of the first 

 laying cycle, and indeed in many mature females. 

 Although it was over four months old (hatching date, 

 May 6, 1919) it appeared so much like an innnature pullet 

 that it was mist;dven for oin> l)y tln^ j)()ultryman in charge 



be an\ chance of error, since the scar made in opening 

 the body cavity was plainly visible. 



Such a situation indicates a fairly complete molt be- 

 tween July 24 and Septenil)er 19. This is not surprising, 

 however, since Hice, Xixon and Rogers (190S, ]>. (ili) have 

 shown that ''from the incubator to the laxinu' i)eii()d tin! 

 chicks experienced at least four molts, either parii.il or 

 comjjlete," and it is further well known tlinl a chise rela- 

 tion exists between molting and o\arian nctixlly. 



The other birds operated on at the same time were at 

 once looked up and described. One of theni (wingband 

 1855) was found to be soinewhnt Intermediate in condi- 

 tion, some of the feathei-^ <.l tin- n.rk and ^addle being 

 blue, but somewhat darker in ^Uiuh- than tlir n<.imall\ (in 

 the male) blue regions <.f the bodv. Tlieiv were, how- 

 ever, a few scattered fentliers wliicli weiT .-dmost bh-ick 

 from the ti)) halfway down the w<'l) toward the llulT. 

 Abonl midwax betue. n the tip of the leather an<l the be- 



