iSSS.] Correspoiide/ice. 2 10 



are found are almost exclusively such as occur in domesticated fowls. I 

 have been disposed to believe that ornithologists are inclined to ignore 

 malformations and monstrosities as unworthy of study, or even mention, 

 and that they have cast aside the specimens which have presented them- 

 selves to their casual notice, as one would an imperfect example in nuy 

 other department of natural objects. 



I desire to invite the co-operation of all classes of 'bird men" — spoils- 

 men, collectors, and scientific ornithologists — in procuring and reporting 

 all cases of double monsters, or of supernumerary development, in any de- 

 gree in which it may be found in any species of the feathered tribes. I 

 am quite certain that 'The Auk' will be a proper medium of communi- 

 cation — under the head of Teratological Notes — or Ornitj;iological Tera- 

 tology. 



Ulysses Aldrovandus, who was a celebrated ornithologist, and a volu- 

 minous writer on the subject two and a half centuries ago, gives us many 

 illustrations of double monstrosities, extra legs and extra toes in various 

 species of birds. These are chiefly found in his special w^ork 'Monstro- 

 rum Historian!,' a ponderous folio, published sumptuously in 1642. The 

 pages 549 to 570 are occupied with descriptions of cases of extra limbs in 

 birds, under the title 'Multiplicatio pedvm in foetivs a\ivm ,' and is 

 illustrated with seventeen figures. The cock of the common fowl on 

 page 560 has two extra toes attached to his left leg. 



Otto, in his great work, 'Monstrorum Sexcentorum Descriptio-Anatom- 

 ica,' grand folio, 1S41, describes (No. 473) a chicken with seven toes on 

 its right foot. 



Polydactylus is not rare among animals that normally are possessed of 

 several digits. In the human subject, six or more fingers or toes are not 

 very uncommon. In three well authenticated cases, as many as nine toes 

 were developed on the left foot. 



There is already an extensive literature pertaining to teratology, and 

 still it is desirable to have more accurate records of genuine cases of con- 

 genital malformations, particularly such as may occur among non-domes- 

 ticated animals and birds. There are many interesting questions, both 

 scientific and popular, which may be enlightened by a powerful array of 

 well attested facts. The miserable popular belief that maternal mental 

 emotion can and does produce malformations, will receive its annihilat- 

 ing blow when it is generally known that every form of malformation 

 which has ever been observed in the human foetus, has its exact analogue 

 in all the lower animals — viviparous and oviparous. It is a fact, that 

 there is no physical monstrosity which is peculiar to the human foetus. 



George Jackson Flsher, M. D. 

 Sing Sitiff, N. T. 



