Relation of Suprarenals to Ovulation. 



281 



Before undertaking the present study we had learned that 

 birds dead of tuberculosis, or from the presence of round-worms 

 (Ascaridia), usually show enlarged suprarenals. The normal 

 size of each suprarenal had been found to lie between 0.006- 

 0.009 gram; those dead of tuberculosis weighed as much as 0.051 g. 

 and the Ascaridia-infested were almost equally enlarged. En- 

 largement of these glands doubtless occurs under many other 

 infections. Forty-three females with fully known reproductive 

 history were taken for this study; they were killed at several 

 intervals with reference to ovulation; they were placed in one of 

 two groups according to whether they showed or failed to show 

 round-worms or tuberculosis. The data obtained from the 

 healthy birds show that in nearly (not quite) all cases the supra- 



Curve Showing Data for Healthy Pigeons. 

 The 44-hour ovulation period (shown between the two vertical lines) occupies 

 for convenience only one half the space it should occupy. All other time intervals 

 are properly spaced. The ordinates represent weight. The number of birds con- 

 cerned at each point in the curve — from left to right — follows: 3, 4, 6, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1 



Data for Size of Suprarenals in Relation to the Period of Ovulation. 







Ave. Weight (Grams). 



Period with Reference 



No. of 









to Ovulation. 



Birds. 













Body. 



Oviduct. 



Adrenals. 



Healthy Common Pigeons. 





(3) 



312 



0.883 



.0076 





(4) 



351 



4-957 



.0148 





(6) 



360 



10.356 



.0207 





(3) 



355 



8.781 



.02IQ 





(1) 



373 



9483 



.0197 





(2) 



344 



7.886 



.0136 



45-73 hrs. after 



(3) 



343 



2.987 



.0164 1 





(1) 



338 



0.883 



.0108 



Common Pigeons bearing Ascaridia or Tuberculosis. 



96+ hrs. before 



(2) 



314 



1.499 



.0097 





(3) 



348 



3-725 



.0166 





(3) 



331 



6.823 



.0096 



3 hrs. before 



(1) 



323 



8.382 



.0119 





(?) 



336 



8.007 



.0122 



1-3 hrs. after 



(2) 



366 



8.649 



.0141 





(I) 



340 



7.828 



.0138 





(I) 



340 



4.708 



•0137 



96 + hrs. after 



(2) 



314 



1.499 



.0097 



1 For two of the three the average is 0.0095. 



