Eggshell Thinning in Japanese Quail Fed Mercuric Chloride

Abstract

The eggs produced by developing Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed 1 to 8 parts of mercury per million as mercuric chloride for 10 weeks have thinned shells. Total amounts of mercury in tissues were quite proportional to the dosage and were higher in males than in females. Methylation of mercury was not observed.