[ 58 J 



fable, but not tbe sliip of reality, they introduced the domestic 

 cat; it not only kept down tbe rats, bnt destroyed tbe diduncvlus, 

 which became, as was believed, extinct, until a few months ago 

 living specimens were found and wi-ougly described in the journals 

 as the true Dodo. 



THE SILK FOWLS. 



Absence of wings and hairiness of plnmage was seen under 

 domestication in what were known as Silk Fowls. The origin was 

 said to have been from an oi-dinary pair of Chinese fowls. A single 

 bird thus clothed was hatched from an egg laid by the hen, the 

 cause, though determining the variation, being unknown. By a 

 careful and long-continued selection of the offspi'iug of this fowl 

 showing the most complete tendency to develope the peculiarity of 

 feathers, the breed of silky cochins was at length established. It 

 was well-known to pigeon fanciers that similar laxity of plumage 

 existed among them. Given therefore a tendency to laxity of 

 plumage, and but moderate powers of flight, natural selection would 

 explain on Dai-win's hypothesis, how, as the powei's of flight 

 diminished, only the larger and more powerful would survive, while 

 the smaller and feebler would easily fall a prey to their natural 

 enemies, while the use of the legs and disuse of the wings would 

 also in time produce the swift and strong cursovcs like the ostrich, 

 emeu, kc. 



A vote of thanks to Mr "Wonfor for his paper was proposed by 

 the President, Mr Alderman Cox. He thought it was very 

 fortunate for them that they could have such a stop-gap as they 

 had. Being personally pei'fectly ignorant of the subject treated, 

 the meeting, he said, would understand what a great temptation it 

 was for him to say much about it. Thei'e was a tendency in 

 human nature to say most about that of which they knew least, 

 but he would I'efrain from indulging in this natural propensity by. 

 merely projposing a vote of thanks in return for the instructive 

 paper read. — This proposition was heartily responded to. — A shoi-t 

 ccmversation was then engaged in, the Chairman, Mr Moore, Mr 

 Hennah, Mr Onions, Mr Dowsett, Mr C. W. Wallis, and one or 

 two others taking an active pai-t in it. 



To the Chairman the question suggested itself, whether the 

 rudimentary organs of brevipennate birds were in progress of 



