When eighty families were exposed by contact to CR64 strain of acute Marek's disease virus (M.D.V.), IS families exhibited no lesions while all of the offspring in 3 families were affected. Gross and microscopic lesions of M.D. appeared when quail were 75 days of age (68 days post exposure). Lesions, which were generally present in the liver, spleen, kidney, and small intestines, were characterized by presence of heterogenous lymphoid cells and occasionally plasma cells. POULTRY SCIENCE 52: 139-143, 1973 HE Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) has become more popular as an experimental animal because of its size, rapid maturation, and similarity to the domestic chicken. This study attemtped to evaluate the quail as an experimental ani­ mal model in Marek's disease (M.D.) re­ search.