468 Scientific Notices — Zoology. [Dec. 



in the tuft on the head becoming thinner, and showing some 

 upright stray feathers, and in a single elongated feather project- 

 ing from the tail. The spurs were larger than usual in hens, but 

 these had probably been increasing for some years. The change 

 of manner of the bird was quite remarkable : she strutted about 

 in an overbearing way, with a firm pace and raised tail. She 

 formed a party among the fowls, which she led separate from 

 the cock ; and she roosted apart from him. She became very 

 voracious ; and when food was set down (losing all resemblance, 

 in this instance, to the generous male), she beat off the other 

 hens : when, in these cases, she came in contact with the cock, 

 she stared at him, but without making any attack. She soon 

 became very fat, and died within a few months seemingly of 

 over fatness. Her cry was altered, but had little resemblance to 

 the crowing of the cock ; less indeed than is sometimes noticed 

 in young hens. 



In a valuable paper, by Dr. Butler, of Plymouth, in the third 

 volume of the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, there are 

 many interesting facts on this subject, and from which we extract 

 the following table : 



Table of such Birds as have, in advanced Life, assumed the Plu- 

 mage of the Male, with the Names of those Authors who have 

 noticed the Fact. 



Order 4. — Galling. — Domestic Birds. 



Gen. 1 . Pavo, Pea-hen Hunter. 



2. Meleagris, Turkey . . . Bechstein. 



3. Phasianus colchicus . . Pheasant common : Hunter. 



pictus golden : Blumcnbach. 



eallus / ^^^^ domestic: Aristotle, 



° * ' \ Tucker, Butler. 



4. Tetrao Perdix, Par- 1 at ^ 



tridge........../ Montagu. 



5. Columba, Pigeon .... Tiedemann. 



Order 5. — Grall^. — Waders. 



2. FamilyPressirostresI ^"*- ^- ^^'^ ^"«=»""J- ^iede- 

 ^ t mann. 



3. Cultrirostres / ^ Tribe Gen. 4. Platalea, Pali- 



t can ot American : Catesby. 



Order 6. — Palmipeda. — Web-footed. 



2. Family, Lamellirostres, soft skin on the beak. 

 1. Anas, Duck, common and wild: Tiedemann. 



