50 Domesticated Animals. 



purchased in 1905. In these fowls the plumage has assumed a soft 

 and silky character, with the loss of the stiff wing and tail feathers. 

 A still more remarkable modification is presented by the Tail-less 

 breeds, of which a cock and hen are exhibited. In these breeds not 

 only the tail-feathers, but even the bones of the tail are absent. 

 There are various breeds of Tail-less Fowls differing in size and 

 colour. The birds exhibited are from Holland, and were presented 

 by Mr. A. J. Bicker Cjuirten in 1895. 



Another remarkable deviation from the normal condition is 

 displayed in the tails of a peculiar breed of Fowls from Japan. The 

 true tail-feathers of the cocks, but more especially the tail-coverts, 

 are increased in number, and elongated to an extraordinary degree ; 

 a single feather in one of the specimens exhibited measuring upwards 

 of nine feet in length. According, however, to descriptions and 

 figures published in Japjm, tails of nearly twice this length are known. 

 The great difficulty in keeping these birds arises from the precautions 

 necessary to prevent their tails being injured. They are accordingly 

 confined in high narrow cages, without room to turn, and only 

 allowed exercise for a short time daily on a perfectly clean floor. 

 The hens of the same breed are but slightly modified in the same 

 direction. Two of the specimens exhibited were presented by the 

 Tokio Museum in 1887, and the third by Mr. F. D. Parker in 1888. 



Domesticated Docks are probably all derived from 

 Ducks and ^j^^ ^yjj^ ^^^^^ ^^ Mallard {^Anas boscas), of which 

 ueese. specimens are exhibited in one of the cases in the 

 Central Hall. One of the most remarkable domesticated breeds is 

 represented by the so-called Penguin-Ducks, which are natives of 

 Java and some of the neighbouring islands. They differ so remark- 

 ably from all other breeds that it has been suggested that their 

 origin is also different ; but Darwin was of opinion that, like other 

 breeds, they trace their descent to the Wild Duck, their special 

 peculiarities being in some degree the result of an nnnatural climate. 

 Penguin-Ducks take their name from the nearly erect <»rriage of 

 the neck and body, which are unusually thin. The wings are short, 

 the tail is turned up, and the bones of the leg are relatively longer 

 than in the Wild Duck. Usually, at any rate, there are only 18 tail- 

 feathers, in place of the 20 of the Wild Duck ; and there are also 

 fewer scales on the toes than in the latter. There is considerable 

 variation in the colour of the plumage ; and the presence of a crest 

 on the head is not a constant feature of the breed. The specimens 

 exhibited came from Buitenzorg, Java, and were presented by Dr. M. 

 Treub in 19o6. The only other breed at present represented in the 



