THE HUMORAL EXCITATION OF THE NESTING INSTINCTS IN RABBITS

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Abstract
A number of [male] rabbits were isolated for at least 1 mo. and then injected with urine from pregnant women. A few others were injected with commercial extracts of the same (Antuitrin-S.), and all were observed by repeated laparotomies for the occurrence of ovulation and corpus luteum formation and the nesting activity was noted. The animals which ovulated and developed corpora lutea showed definite loosening of the fur at the end of the 2nd wk. following injection. The rabbits that developed pseudo pregnancies showed it again at the end of the 3rd wk., the normally pregnant animals showing it at the end of the 4th wk. 7 of the 14 rabbits injected with pregnant urine built nests; the commercial extracts all proved negative as far as nesting activity was concerned, though they led to corpus luteum formation. In pseudo-pregnant animals nesting occurred at the end of the 3rd wk. following injection. The authors conclude that loosening of the hair in rabbits parallels the involution of the corpus luteum and that some additional factor is necessary for excitation of the nesting instinct.

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