HEMOGLOBIN AND ERYTHROCYTE DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO SEX AND SEASON IN DOVES AND PIGEONS

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Abstract
By the O2 capacity method a total of 931 Hb measurements were made throughout the year on suitably inbred races of the pigeon and the ring dove[long dash]2 spp. on which 1583 erythrocyte counts were simultaneously made. Blood of healthy adult [male][male] of both species had a higher concn. of Hb at all seasons than that of [female][female]. Mean values were 15.97 gm. per 100 cc. in [male][male] and 14.72 gm. in [female][female] (pigeons); and 14.56 gm. in [male][male] and 13.97 gm. in [female][female] (doves). Blood of healthy adult [male][male] of both spp. similarly had a higher cell count at all seasons than that of [female][female]. Mean values were 3.228,-000 in [male][male] and 3,096.000 in [female][female] (pigeons); and 3.045 000 in [male][male] and 2,989,000 in [female][female] (doves). Birds were deprived of u.v. light from Nov. to May. and then provided with some heat. Hb values were highest in winter, when birds were exposed neither to air of greatest cooling power (autumn) nor to u. v. light, and lowest values in summer, when in air of least cooling power and well exposed to u. v. rays. In pigeons the winter value exceeds that of summer by 3.2%; in doves, by 5.2%. Autumn values exceed those of summer. Highest cell counts were found in autumn, lowest in summer. In pigeons autumn excess is 10%; in doves, 9.4%. Thus both Hb and cells are reduced to their lowest value at the hot season. Certain races within each sp. appear to have abnormally high or low levels of O2 carriers in association with endocrine differences already known to characterize these races. Little or no evidence is found that a race with high or low Hb necessarily has correspondingly high or low cell count. Two groups of [female][female] (30 cases) attaining advanced age with persistently inactive ovaries (intersexes) resembled their brothers more than their sisters in Hb and cell count. Seven tests indicate that extirpation of the thymus and bursa Fabricius from very young pigeons later leads to a cell count 16% higher than normal[long dash]a result observed by others after splenec-tomy in birds and mammals. Hb and erythrocytes are only slightly higher in adolescent birds than in adults; both are usually markedly reduced in diseased birds. The cell count of doves is increased by close caging for one month although other studies have shown that by this means blood sugar and respiratory metabolism are slightly decreased.