No. 627] 



GERM PLASM OF THE OSTRICH 



337 



northern cock without any break and a southern hen in 

 which the break occurs. Of the four offspring reared 

 three are without the break while it occurs in hen No. 179. 

 From the mating of brother and sister four chicks 

 were hatched, two of which have a double break in the 

 scutellation, one shows a single break and one has no 

 break. Thus the proportional loss of scales has greatly 

 increased in the Fo generation. 



SCUTELI^TION IN- F2 ChICKS COMPARED WiTH PaBENTS 



AND Grandparents 



No. 4 X — 



From what has been adduced already we may with good 

 reason admit that an inherent tciidcncy exists in the 

 ostrich towards the loss of eei tain i>;ii t- of the fore and 

 hind limbs, and the above result may be regarded as 

 highly suggestive that by inbreeding the inherent tend- 

 ency towards the loss of scales can be accentuated along 

 definite lines. The accumulation of fuller data must be 

 awaited before the suggestion can be regarded as more 

 than tentative. 



