Evening star., 1949-12-16
Bi-Poternity Reported :, I
Possible in Bird Life
Genetics Association Describes
Studies on Pigeon Mating
Bv Thomas X. Henry


Studies on Pigeon Mating I.
By Thomas r. Henry ..
Birds with two fathers have been re-
ported to che American oenetic Associa-
ton.
There seems to be no other plausible
explanation for the curious color schemes
Of seven pigeons gathered from pure bred
hocks all over the country, writes DR.. w.
F. Hollander of Larson College, New Haven,
Conn.,, in communication to the Journal
OF Heredity. the Associations official organ
This is the first time that this strange
phenomenon Of conjugal infidelity has ever
been reported, although it may BE- quite
common and not confined to birds. The
argument rests primarily on the fact that
the color schemes Of pigeon plmage are,
governed rather strictly by heredity and the
laws are well known. They are quite COM
plicated. some of the genes determining
color in the female being linked with the.
genes which determine sex.
Conspicuous Case Cited. =
Perhaps the most conspicuous case cited
Is that Of a female with tuft of yellow,
in her feathers. She came from 4 rigidly
controlled flock. The father was we'll
known registered bird. But there was no
possibility OF yellow feathers in the an
cestral line Of either father or mother. A
clue came from the admission Of the breeder,
that some yellow pigeons had gotten into
the enclosure about the time Of the mating.
Pigeons are supposed to be strictly monog-
amous birds; but, DR.. Larson says, there
is plenty Of evidence that females some
times are prone to infidelity 4
Yet there is no question about the main Y
color scheme. Certain elements of 1t could
M &ra~ k~L
feathered fathers. d
Some time ago, DR.. Larson points out, TT
was found that In birds an extra male germ s
cell sometimes attached itself to q fertilized
egg. It has been supposed that this was,
Of no significance and that the extraneous
matter soon was cast OF. But this never has
been proved.
Island Tissues" In Embryo.
The present evidence indicates, D1. Larson .
says, that it forms island tissue" In the
embryo and appears In some character ut
terly foreign to the hereditary makeup Of
the primary father.
There still Is the remote possibility that
the curious color schemes are results of
as result from atomic bomb radiation and
the like. But the facts make this explana-
tion extremely far-fetched since 1t would
be necessary for several genes-the invis-
IDLY minute units of heredity-to mutate
together: and this is almost beyond the
laws Of chance.
The color schemes Of the six other
pigeons in the collection are almost equally
difficult to explain on any other basis than
bi-paternity.
The possibility Of the phenomenon being
found in other animals is quite good DR..
Larson holds. so long as the egg is large
of wndafH har fhA
possibility of human beings with two
fathers.
The Navy is investigating the properties
Of weird metal from three to SIX times
more costly than gold. -
This is silyer-grey gallium, known for
the past half-century and widely -dlstrib-
uted over the world but up to now produced
only in extremely minute quantities. It
has q slight use in dental alloys and high
temperature thermometers.
The major pecuharity Of sallium Is the
fact that 1t melts at ordinary room tempera-
lures but that 1t does not reach the boiling
point until above 1000 centigrade. thus re-
naming liquid through one Of the widest
ranges known in nature. 1t shares with,
water the property Of expanding instead Of
contracting when 1t freezes. -.
Another popularity being investigated Is !,
its capacity for super cooling which is
throwing new light on the whole problem Of
the transformation Of liquids to solids. Ordi-
narily metal at slightly below room tenn :.
peratures, it can be kept In the liquid state
down to zero centigrade. Apparently. the
higher the temperature to which the liquid
is raised short Of the boiling point the longer
1t remains q liquid when this temperature IL :.
lowered. -,
Possibilities for Alloys.
These properties, Navy scientists say, are
giving the "liquid-metal" some exceptional
possibilities for use in alloys. In the past
the amounts available have been 50 small
that almost nothing has been known about
the strange element. -
It Is found in zinc, aluminium, manganese
and iron ores, but always in very minute
quantities difficult to extract. It, however,
can be produced in much larger amounts
than at present. - e.
AS metal it has a superficial resemblance
to aluminium, to which 1t is related In thu
atomic table. -
The gallium project Of the once Of Naval :.
Research is centered at the UniverSity Of &
Utah from which the first report has just
been received from Drs. John r. Denny, j.
Hugh Hamilton and John r. Lewis. Among,
their findings is that the liquid is extremely ,,
corrosive. deeply pitting almost any metal IT,.
touches in few minutes. mr.
Questions and Answers 5s, S