POULTRY NOTES. THE SEX OF THE EMBRYO CHICK.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 October 1913, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES. THE SEX OF THE EMBRYO CHICK.

Scientists who have thrown grey after years of research woi'k and experiments .(«<ys (lie ttau i'nineisco Weekly Chronicle), listened will) amazement when Dr Clarence E. McClujig\ professor of zoology in the University of Pennsylvania, declared he was able to telj the sex of omhyro chicks before they cracked their shells. With the aid of photomicrographs he showed male and female i>'erm cells in birds' en-fr S) ;m( ] «l ( »iailed with scientific accuracy the sex of the chicks before birth by (I^'position of the reproductive molecules

J)r McCluug spoke on "The Nature of Sex and the Method of Determination. lie made not attempt to foretell sex in t he human s\stem and confined his remarks to an interesting discussion of the sex problems as they relate to chickens ami birds. His address was illustrated with many lantern slides showing the difference between the male and, female sex germs beiore the fertilisation of the' eggs.

"It was thought for a long time that sex was not exactly of the same nature as other qualities and that it was determined by external conditions,'' said Dr McClung. "But exact studies oi the nature of cells have shown that in their constitution the sex characters are present as a part of the organisation, and are not influenced by external conditions or environment in any other way than are the othe characteristics of the body. On this understanding of conditions it is possible to understand variations of the sexual character."