THE TURKEY 95 



genious cast of the inner side of the skull of one of 

 these has shown that their brain was exceedingly bird- 

 like. That the iguanodon-like reptiles were in some 

 respects like the ostrich and its congeners is not to be 

 denied ; but then the ostrich and its allies are not 

 creatures on the i-oad to become flying birds, but seem 

 i-ather to be degraded descendants of birds which once 

 flew. Moreover, the oldest known bird, the archeo- 

 pteryx, is not at all ostrich -like, but has much more afiinity 

 with ordinary birds, save as regards its hand and tail. 

 Thus the origin of birds is a question still open to dispute, 

 and while welcoming gladly light from any side upon the 

 problem, we would carefully eschew a hasty dogmatism 

 on that, as on every other subject. 



