34 



Dr. S. M. Copeman and Mr. F. G. Parsons. [Dec. 1, 



females in only three litters out of nine. When it is remembered 

 that all these bucks were put to at least five different does selected 

 at random, it certainly does appear that some bucks have a tendency 

 to beget more male, and others more female offspring. This, we 

 believe, is the experience of many breeders of animals. It may be 

 objected that these bucks were not placed with exactly the same 

 series of does in each instance, and we regret that this is so, but 

 by looking through the records of 8 (a male producer) and e (a female 

 producer) it will be noted that they both had young by the three 

 does B 2 , C 1 and D 1 , with the following results : — 











<? ? 



7^ 



B 2 



2 1 



4 2 



C 1 



3 2 



1 6 



D 1 



...... 9 6 



3 4 





14 9 



8 12 



so that their tendency to produce an excess of male or female offspring 

 would appear to have had no relation to the particular does with 

 which they were mated. 



With regard to p (a male producer) and y (a female producer), 

 both had young by the four does A B D and F with the following 

 results : — 







0. 



7- 









? 



<? ¥ 





A 



4 



3 



4 





B 



1 



4 



7 9 (in 



3 litters) 



D 



3 



2 



8 8 (in 



2 „ ) 



F 



4 



3 



4 3 







12 



12 



23 20 





This is not nearly so satisfactory a result for our contention, as 

 with the same does y (the female producer) actually produced a 

 larger proportion of males than did p (the male producer). 



We shall, therefore, content ourselves by saying that 8 and rj are 

 instances of bucks which tend to produce an excess of male, and e of 

 one producing excess of female offspring. 



On looking through the record of the does the point that is most 

 striking is the behaviour of C 1 and her descendants : — 



