THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 13 



excites the curiosity and admiration of their neighbors. 

 There are several varieties that are extinct, or not to 

 be obtained in England, as the Duke of Leeds' fowl, 

 and the white Poland fowl with a black topknot. 

 Attempts have been made to reproduce them, both 

 by the most promising systems of crossing, and by 

 acting on the imagination of breeding fowls, after 

 the manner of Jacob's experiments with Laban's 

 flocks ; all in vain. We can easily understand how 

 certain points in any race can be confirmed and made 

 more conspicuous by selection and breeding in-and-in, 

 but we are at a loss to know how to go to work to 

 produce something quite original and new. If these 

 lost varieties do re-appear, and they are both worth the 

 trouble they may give, it will probably be by a fresh 

 importation from their original Indian home. 



The addition of a fifth toe to the foot, as in the 

 Dorking variety, is more likely than the crest to have 

 supervened in the course of time. This appendage is 

 said not to be mentioned by any earlier writer than 

 Columella, since whose time, to the present day, a 

 fifth toe has been the well-known and distinctive cha- 

 racter of a certain breed. 



A Cochin-China cock in the possession of Rev. 

 E. S. Dixon, of Norwich, England, has the outer toe 

 of each foot furnished with two distinct claws, which 

 we may take to be the earliest indication of a fifth toe. 

 His chickens inherit the same peculiarity. A corres- 

 pondent of the same gentleman, says, " I had a cock 

 of the golden Polish variety that lost two of his claws 

 by accident, and in their place two smaller joints grew 

 from the end of each toe, both provided with little 

 claws. This became hereditary, for next season there 

 were two chicks hatched, both having the aforesaid pecu- 

 liarity." Analogous instances may be seen in museums, 

 of lizards with two tails ; the original single one hav- 

 ing been lost by accident, two grew in its place. 



Could we analyse the migrations of our own species 

 from clime to clime : could we trace the progress of 



