( 339 ) 



ABNORMAL FEATHERS OF A DOMESTIC 

 PIGEON. 



BY 



ANNIE C. JACKSON. 



The feather wliich is shown in the accompanjing illustration 

 was submitted for examination by Mr. H. L. Orr to Mr. Nevin 

 H. Foster. It is the contour-feather of a Magpie-pigeon, and 

 appeared Mith two other similar feathers near the vent in 

 the second autumnal 

 moult of the bird. The 

 feather is remarkable 

 in that it bears at its 

 distal extremity a small 

 contour-feather. The 

 rhachis of this distal 

 feather merges with a 

 semi-transparent cala ■ 

 mus, which is some- 

 what flattened and in 

 which there is no trace 

 of pulp or pith. This 

 calamus in turn is con- 

 tinuous with the 

 rhachis of the proximal 

 feather. 



The probable ex- 

 planation of the 

 abnormality appears 

 to be, that at the 

 commencement of 

 the autumn-moult the 

 feather now designated 

 as distal was not fully 

 matured, and hence the 

 calamus did not dry 

 up in normal fashion 

 with consequent shed- 

 ding of the feather, 

 but became continuous 

 with the rhachis of the 

 growing feather 

 beneath. 



A parallel example 

 may be cited m the abnormal feathers of magpie-pigegn. 



case Ot the iliUlUS and (About one-thirdlarger than actual size).: 



