Hermaphroditism of the Apodidæ

Abstract

THE reproduction of Apus cancriformis has been a much discussed subject. Although the animal has been well known since the middle of last century, it was not till 1833 that a male was reported to have been found, and not till 1856 that the occasional presence of males in small numbers was certainly established by Kozubowski. On the other hand, the fact that several generations of “females” could be produced without the presence of a male, was established as long ago as 1755 by Schaeffer, who concluded that the animals were hermaphrodite. Since that time authors have been divided in opinion between hermaphroditism and parthenogenesis (not to mention v. Siebold's theory of Thelytoky); the latter view has lately prevailed.¹