Inheritance of White Spotting in Ducks

Abstract

WHITE feathers in the plumage of Rouen and Gray Call ducks are objectionable from the exhibition point of view. This is especially true when these feathers occur in the neck of the female, or in the main wing feathers of either sex. Ducks showing white in these regions are disqualified under terms of the American Standard of Perfection. The Blue Swedish breed, however, as outlined by the Standard, has a large white bib and two white primary wing feathers on each side. A series of experiments was undertaken, using ducks of the Mallard plumage pattern, to analyse the inheritance of white spotting. The Blue Swedish breed has recently been used to study the relation of their white spotting to that occurring in mallard-colored ducks but the data are as yet meagre and are not included in this report.As stated above, all the ducks used had the color pattern of .