136 LIFE OF FLOWER 



tail-feathers of the cocks, led to a note on that subject 

 in the Proceedings for the same year. This paper, it 

 may be incidentally mentioned, is noteworthy, on account 

 of the evidence it affords that Sir William did not 

 regard the variations displayed by domesticated animals 

 as in any way unworthy the notice of the naturalist ; 

 while the next shows that monstrosities or abnormalities 

 at all events to a certain extent are also worthy of 

 recognition. The note incidentally alluded to in the last 

 sentence appeared in 1889, and dealt with an African 

 rhinoceros head, showing three horns. Finally, in 

 1890, Sir William exhibited and commented upon a 

 photograph of the nesting-hole of a hornbill, showing 

 the female " walled up " with mud. 



The next year (1891) saw the publication of An 

 Introduction to the Study of Mammals, Living and Extinct, 

 written, as already said, in collaboration with the 

 present writer, and embodying the whole of Flower's 

 contributions to the Encyclopedia Britannica, together 

 with certain articles by other authors from the same 

 work, and such new material as was necessary in order 

 to weave these disjecta membra into one connected and 

 harmonious whole. 



In the same year was also published, in the Modern 

 Science Series, Sir William's admirable little volume on 

 The Horse, which was likewise largely based on his 

 Encyclopedia articles. In this work Flower dwelt par- 

 ticularly on the vestiges exhibited by the modern horse 

 of its descent from more generalised ancestors ; and he 

 was successful in demonstrating that the structure 

 known to veterinarians as the " ergot," represents one 

 of the foot-pads of the earlier forms. 



