Birds. 755 



its appointed place in the scale of being, and enjoys all the happiness 

 it has capacity for. 



Moreover, Mr. Waterton's example is hardly to the point. The only 

 bird to which, I believe, the oil-gland has been denied, is the rumpless 

 fowl : but this is only a variety of the common barn-door species, 

 and is, in short, a monstrosity ; arising, most probably, from the 

 removal of the bird from its natural state : for, it would seem to be a 

 law of nature that an animal, once taken under the immediate pro- 

 tection of man, not only loses in a great measure the power of self- 

 maintenance ; but also becomes more subject to disease, variation in 

 colour, and malformation. Therefore the imperfection of the poor 

 fowl is to be attributed to the interference of man, and not to the 

 original intention of its Creator. 



That the plumage of a rumpless fowl should be "just as brilliant, 

 and in as good condition," as that of a fowl furnished with an oil- 

 gland, certainly tells against my theory that this gland is intended to 

 promote the growth of the feathers by means of vessels pervading 

 the skin, (were that theory not overthrown by the internal anatomy of 

 the gland), but, as it appears to me, it is not so cogent when adduced 

 in opposition to the lubricating process : for no rumpless fowl can cut 

 a more sorry figure after a shower of rain, than do some very smart 

 bantam cocks in my possession, who are furnished with the gland, 

 but make very little, if any, use of it. This, however, as I have 

 already observed, may arise from one and the same cause, viz. domes- 

 tication, which has deprived the bird, in the one case, of the use of 

 the gland, and in the other, of the gland itself. The plumage of the 

 original bird in its native woods, wherever they may be, may be as 

 capable of repelling the rain as is that of the pheasant and of the 

 partridge in their state of freedom ; and this may be the effect of the 

 lubricating process. 



But I am unwilling to dwell longer on points of difference with one 



whom I have always admired for his benevolent endeavours at Walton 



Hall, to promote the happiness of our common favourites ; whose 



writings have done so much for the cause of humanity ; and whom 1 



cannot but esteem as the first of our out-door naturalists. 



Chas. A. Bury. 

 Boncburch, Isle of Wight. 



