The genetic and the operative evidence relating to secondary sexual charactersMorgan, Thomas Hunt
Science
The genetic and the operative evidence relating to secondary sexual characters
Morgan, Thomas Hunt
Genetics; Poultry; Sex (Biology)
One of the first Sebrights that was castrated was a lighter bird than
the others. Its lighter color was partly due to the narrower outer band
of the laced feathers, (plate 6, figure 1,) and partly to the lighter
color of the yellow-brown center of the feathers. The bird had a single
comb, but as this crops up occasionally in some stocks of Sebrights, it
need not be interpreted to mean that the bird was impure for color
factors. After being castrated the bird changed over completely to
cock-feathering and has remained in that condition for two or more
years. As shown in plate 5, figure 2, the plumage is even more fully
developed than in cock birds of some other breeds. The comb and wattles
are, however, shrunken and pale, as in a capon. The bird is timid and
scarcely or never crows. When killed (May 1919) no pieces of testes and
no trace of testicular tissue at the old situs were found.
The details of the feathers are shown in plate 6, figures 1 and 1a,
where, in each instance, one of the old and one of the new feathers from
the same region are placed side by side. The feathers on the head and
hackle are yellow, even to the base. At the base of the hackle--the
so-called cape--a few feathers have a small black tip. The feathers of
the back are entirely yellow, except that where the fluff begins there
is some dark pigment. The saddle feathers are for the most part all
yellow, but a few have at the base, near the fluff, black on each side.
The tail coverts are long, with a black margin at their tip. The tail
feathers are long, mossy, and have a black tip. The wing-bow feathers
are all yellow, except the black fluff at the base. The feathers on the
crop are mostly yellow with black margin around the end. Those on the
breast lower down are yellow with black tip and black fluff.
There was another Sebright operated upon at the same time that was a
darker bird (as the original feathers show, plate 8, figs. 1 to 4). It
had a rose comb. The feathers that were plucked at the time of
operation were replaced at once by new feathers of the cock-feathered
type. The new feathers that came in as the old ones were molted were
also cock-type, and the bird soon assumed the complete characteristic
cock-feathering. The comb was shrunken as in castrated birds (plate 5,
figure 5).
SEBRIGHT.
Plate 6 and 8.
1. On the head (_a_) the feathers are small, dull black with
lighter margin and reddish quill.
2. On the hackle (_b_) the feathers are yellow bordered with black,
especially at the base, and at the tip outside of this border there
is a narrow yellow border (broader at base). The border is absent
at tip.
3. In the middle of the back (between the wings) the feathers are
yellow with black margin at the tip. At the base there is some dark
color.
4. The saddle is made up of typical laced feathers with black where
the fluff begins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account