NOS.61S-619] EGG PRODUCTION 319 



periods may or may not be associated with broodiness. 

 In a large percentage of Bhode Island Reds, a winter 

 cycle comparable to that found in Barred Plymouth 

 Rocks, is absent. 



11. Broodiness operates to reduce egg production very 

 materially, for the average production is about 40 per 

 cent, higher for the period prior to the time each indi- 

 vidual goes broody compared with average production 

 after that time. The apparent paradox that hens with 

 the greatest number of broody periods lay more eggs 

 than those with fewer broody periods is due to the fact 

 that increased production affords opportunity for more 

 broody periods. The presence of a large amount of 

 broodiness in our Rhode Island Reds differentiates them 

 from the Leghorns, which lack this characteristic. 



12. The appearance of a moult often stops production. 

 A partial summer moult was noted. 



13. Other things being equal, birds that lay late in the 

 fall lay more than those that stop early. 



14. Small birds mature earlier, on the average, than 

 large ones and hence lay more winter eggs. 



15. It was observed that while birds of poor stamina 

 might make exceptionally good records, that lack of 

 stamina tended to delay the appearance of the first egg 

 and hence lowered the winter records. 



16. It is pointed out that while the results obtained in 

 Rhode Island Reds differ from those obtained by Pearl 

 in Barred Plymouth Rocks in egg production, this dif- 

 ference must be looked upon as a real difference just as 

 the two races differ in color. 



17. Egg production is an unsatisfactory character on 

 which to study the possible effects of selection in modify- 

 ing the germ plasm, because in reality it is complex and 

 not a simple unit character. 



18. The genetic constitution of our Rhode Island Reds 

 in respect to Pearl's and L 2 factors has not certainly 

 been made out, but it seems probable that as a strain they 

 fall into Pearl's class of high producers. True mediocre 

 producers are very uncommon in this strain. 



