Behavioral Ecology of Elliot’s Laughingthrush (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trochalopteron</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Garrulax</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">elliotii</Emphasis>, Timaliidae,Aves): 2. Vocal Repertoire

Our work is the first study on the vocal repertoire of one of the babbler species, Elliot’s laughingthrush. Field studies were carried out in Hupingshan Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, China. There are three types of signals in the repertoire: songs, calls (chattering), and duets. Songs and calls are used by both males and females. The song consists of a quiet introduction (short note) and a louder main part (two or three tonal notes). There are up to four song variants in the repertoire of a given pair. All songs can be classified into three types. Types I and II represent songs with the main part consisting of three notes, while type III consists of two notes. Types I and II differ from each other in certain features of the frequency modulation shape of the first two notes. All song types can be used during the spontaneous vocalization of a single bird. However, their usage in other contexts differs. Songs of types I and II are more often uttered during vocal interactions of neighbor males. Songs of type III appear to be characteristic of male–female duets. Chattering (calls) is a continuous series of broadband notes. There are several (two to five) note variants in each series. Chattering can be used both during a male–female interaction and as an alarm call. We found an inverse correlation between (1) the duration of pauses between notes, and (2) the number of note variants (“repertoire size”) in a series. Both parameters probably reflect the internal state of an individual at a given moment.     

Inheritance of the traits of spike and grain color and morphometric parameters of the grain in F<Subscript>1</Subscript> and F<Subscript>2</Subscript> hybrids of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Triticum spelta</Emphasis> L. × <Emphasis Type=Italic>Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.

The character of inheritance of the morphological traits of spike and grain color and morphometric parameters of the grain in simple and backcross F₁ and F₂ hybrids of spelt and soft wheat has been investigated. The experiments confirmed that single homologous genes determine the trait of grain width in different species of wheat. Incomplete dominance of the gene that determines the trait of grain length has been revealed. The increase of the dosage of genes from one wheat species in a backcross hybrid has been shown to increase the deviation from the other species and to bring the values of the quantitative parameters of the grain closer to the values for the saturating species. Splitting of the spike color trait in the F₂ offspring has been shown to follow the 15: 1 dihybrid cross scheme and to be controlled by two dominant homologous genes.