ON THE skelp:tons of gef.se. J)1 



The mode adopted by me in counting the vertehrcB is the 

 same as that mentioned in my Monograph on the Anatiche, — 

 namely, to consider as cervical all the vertebrce which are 

 anterior to the ribs, and have no attachment to them ; the 

 dorsal are those anterior to the peloinal bones, having ribs 

 attached to them ; the sacral are those anchylosed together, 

 and immediately succeeding the dorsal, to some of these are 

 attached either true or false ribs. 



The following table will show the numbering of the verte- 

 bral column, as far as I have been able to ascertain it, in the 

 birds above mentioned, and also in a variety of the Chinese 

 goose. 



Cervical. Dorsal. Sacral. Caudal, 



Tame goose 17 6 16 2 6 



Climese ditto 17 6 17 2 



White variety of ditto... 17 6 16 3 6 



Hybrid 6 16 2 ..6 



The second number under the head of sacral vertebrw, 

 denotes those to which ribs are attached ; so that the total 

 number in the tame goose for instance, is eighteen. 



It will be seen from the foregoing table, that some differ- 

 ence exists in the numbers of the dorsal and sacral vertebrce 

 of the Chinese goose, as given here and in the work above 

 mentioned, which is caused by one being taken from the dor- 

 sal and added to the sacral. This change I have been indu- 

 ced to make, on the examination of a section of the pelvis ; 

 the skeleton referred to in the Monograph, is that now spoken 

 of as the white variety. I greatly regret, that in consequence 

 of some of the cervical vertebrce of the hybrid having been 

 lost, 1 have been unable to give their number with certainty, 

 but it is most probably seventeen, both the parent birds pos- 

 sessing that number. The caudal vertebrce of the Chinese 

 goose were also damaged. 



The sternum of the hybrid bird presents some curious fea- 

 tures ; but previously to referring to them, it will be necessary 

 to point out the differences between that part in the common 

 goose and the Chinese, which are as follows. The tame 

 goose has the sternum broader and longer, with the keel deep- 

 er, and is altogether larger than that of the Chinese ; it is also 

 characterized by a wave or indentation^ in its plane, at about 



* This feature increases with age. I possess the sternum of a tame goose 

 above twenty years old when killed, which shows it much more distinctly 

 than that of a young one. The fissures also on the posterior margin are 

 closed up, and ioxm. foramina. 



