Effects of X-rays upon Flecking in the Domestic Pigeon

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Abstract
The occurrence of irregular patches of a recessive color on a background of the dominant color in pigeons heterozygous for the 2 colors concerned has been termed "flecking" and is attributed to mutation of the dominant gene in cells of the feather germ. In such birds the number and extent of the flecks in feathers subsequently regenerated can be definitely increased by exposure of the follicle to-X-ray dosages of 750 r and 1,000 r. The increase not only occurs in the first feathers regenerated after treatment but persists with a generally increased intensity in later regenerates from the same follicles. The treatment of a follicle delays the emergence of the new feather, but the growth rate is thereafter practically the same as that of the control. It may be concluded that the X-rays increase the frequency of the same sort of change that occurs spontaneously in the feather germs of pigeons of the genotypes concerned.