174 



DOMESTIC PIGEONS : 



Chap. V. 



In the rock-pigeon, and in several domestic breeds, the edges of the 

 lower jaw on each side come close up to the premaxillary bones, so 



C f^^^pg* 



Fig. 26.— Skull of Runt spen 

 from above, of natural 

 size, showing the reflcxed 

 iniu'giTi of the distal por- 

 tion of the lower jaw. 



Fig. 27.— Lateral view of jaws, of natural size. 

 A. RucK-pigeon. B. Shon-iaced Tumbler. C. 

 Bigadoiteu Carrier. 



that no open space is left. The degree of 

 downward curvature of the distal half of the 

 lower jaw also differs to an extraordinary 

 degree in some breeds, as loay be seen in the 

 drawings (fig. a) of the rock-pigeon, (b) of 

 the (Short-faced Tumbler, and (o) of the 

 Bagadotten Carrier of Neumeister. In some 



Eunts the symphysis of the lower jaw is 

 remarkably solid. No one would readily 

 have believed that jaws differing in the several above-specified 

 points so greatly could have belonged to the same species. 



Vertehrce. — All the breeds have twelve cervical vertebra).^" But in a 

 Bussorah Carrier from India the twelfth vertebra carried a small rib, 

 a quarter of an inch in length, with a perfect double articulation. 



The dorsal vertebrce are always eight. In the rock-pigeon all 

 eight bear ribs; the eighth rib being very thin, and the seventh 

 having no process. In Pouters all the ribs are extremely broad, 

 eight bear ribs; the eighth rib being very thin and the seventh 

 having no i^rocess. In Pouters all the ribs are extremely broad, 

 and, in three out of four skeletons examined by me, the eighth rib 

 was twice or even thrice as broad as in the rock-pigeon ; and the 



^^ I am not sure that I have de- 

 signated the different kinds oli'vertebrre 

 correctly : but I observe that dit^erent 

 anatomists follow in this respect dif- 



ferent rules, and, as I use the same 

 terms in the comparison of all the 

 skeletons, this, I hope, will not 

 signify. 



