11, when normally it would have been in eclipse, the nuptial plumage was
unmodified except for a diffuse light-brown coloration on the abdomen,
which is stated to be due not to any growth of new feathers but to
pigmentary modification in the old. By September 1 this bird was almost in
eclipse but not quite; curl feathers in the tail had disappeared, the
breast was almost in full eclipse, the white ring was slightly indicated
at the sides of the neck, the top of the head and the nape had still a
good deal of gloss. After this the nuptial plumage developed again, and on
November 12 the bird was in full nuptial plumage, with good curl feathers
in the tail. The only trace of the eclipse was the presence of a few brown
feathers on the flanks. This bird was killed July 30, 1908, when the bird
was in eclipse, but not perfectly so, as there were vermiculated feathers
mixed with eclipse feathers on the breast, abdomen, and flanks. Dissection
showed on the right side a series of loosely attached nodular grafts of
testicular tissue, in total volume about the size of a haricot bean: on
the left side two small nodules, together about the size of a pea, and two
other grafts at the root of the liver and on the mesentery. Several other
cases are described, and the general result was that the eclipse was
delayed and never quite complete, while although the nuptial plumage was
almost fully developed in the following winter, it retained some eclipse
feathers, and was also delayed and developed slowly.

Several drakes were castrated in July when in the eclipse condition, and
although the authors state, in their general conclusions, that this does
not produce any constant appreciable effect upon the next passage of the
bird into winter plumage, they describe one bird so treated which on
November 18 retained many eclipse feathers: the general appearance of the
chestnut area of the breast was eclipse.

It must be remembered that not only was the castration in these cases