Vie CONG. INTERN. REPROD. ANIM. INSEM. ARTIF., PARIS, 1968, VOL. I

months before breeding season).Tamed females differed
from their controls for the weight of ovaries and adrenals,
and for the number of ovarian follicles.Average ovary
weight in tamed females during this long-termed experi-
ment(1962,1965-1967)was higher than in the control by 18%.
This difference is statistically significant at the level
of 99,9%%.Average adrenal weight in tamed females was hi-
gher by 16%.,The difference is significant at the level
exceeding somewhat 95%.As to ovarian follicles,it was fo-
und a clear tendency toward the increase of their number
in tamed females as compared with controls.The difference
in the number of follicles is not high(11%)but it approa-
ches to significant one,

Thus,differences in fertility and breeding time bet-
ween females with different genetically determined beha-
viour,correspond to morphological changes of organs clo-
sely connected with the reproductive function.Selection

of foxes for taming affects the dynamics of ovary and
adrenal morphological variability.It was very interesting
to know whether selection for more calm,tamed behaviour
may result in a reformation of seasonal and monoestrous
reproduction to diestrous one.We investigated sexual ac—
tivity dynamics in female foxes during those breeding se-
asons which are not characteristic for these animals(au-
tumn and spring).The results were as follows: some tamed
females had distinct shifts in functional state of sexual
system in September-October,which were expressed in chan-
ges of vulva morphology and in emergence of nuclear and
non-nuclear epithelial cells in vaginal smears.Such symp-
toms are characteristic for the beginning of oestrous.
Symptoms of autumn sexual activity were registered in fe-
males independently from whether they had litters during
the normal breeding season or not.During spring(April-
-May)the state of sexual system of foxes has been obser-

1679