Chap. VII. OSTEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. 267 



anchylosed with the succeeding four, which are generally anchylosed 

 together. In one Sultan fowl, however, the two first dorsal vertebrae 

 were free. In two skeletons, the fifth dorsal was free; generally the 

 sixth is free (as in G. bankiva), but sometimes only at its posterior 

 end, where in contact with the seventh. The seventh dorsal vertebra, in 

 every case excepting in one Spanish cock, was anchylosed with the lumbar 

 vertebras. So that the degree to which these middle dorsal vertebras are 

 anchylosed together is variable. 



Seven is the normal number of true ribs, but in two skeletons of the 

 Sultan fowl (in which the fourteenth cervical vertebra was not furnished 

 with little ribs) there were eight pairs; the eighth pair seemed to be 

 developed on a vertebra corresponding with the first lumbar in G. hankiva ; 

 the sternal portion of both the seventh and eighth ribs did not reach the 

 sternum. In four skeletons in which ribs were developed on the four- 

 teenth cervical vertebra, there were, when these cervical ribs are included, 

 eight pairs ; but in one Game-cock, in which the fourteenth cervical was 

 furnished with ribs, there were only six pairs of true dorsal ribs; the 

 sixth pair in this case did not have processes, and thus resembled the 

 seventh pair in other skeletons; in this game-cock, as far as could be 

 judged from the appearance of the lumbar vertebras, a whole dorsal ver- 

 tebra with its ribs was missing. We thus see that the ribs (whether or 

 not the little pair attached to the fourteenth cervical vertebra be counted) 

 vary from six to eight pair. The sixth pair is frequently not furnished 

 with processes. The sternal portion of the seventh pair is extremely broad 

 in Cochins, and is completely ossified. As previously stated, it is scarcely 

 possible to count the lumbo-sacral vertebras ; but they certainly do not 

 correspond in shape or number in the several skeletons. The caudal 

 vertebras are closely similar in all the skeletons, the only difference being, 

 whether or not the basal one is anchylosed to the pelvis; they hardly 

 vary even in length, not being shorter in Cochins, with their short tail- 

 feathers, than in other breeds ; in a Spanish cock, however, the caudal ver- 

 tebras were a little elongated. In three rumpless fowls the caudal vertebras 

 were few in number, and anchylosed together into a misformed mass. 



In the individual vertebras the differences in structure are very slight. 

 In the atlas the cavity for the occipital condyle 

 is either ossified into a ring, or is, as in Bankiva, 

 open on its upper margin. The upper arc of 

 the spinal canal is a little more arched in 

 Cochins, in conformity with the shape of occipital 

 foramen, than in G. bankiva. In several ske- 

 letons a difference, but not of much importance, 

 may be observed, which commences at the fourth 

 cervical vertebra, and is greatest at about the 



sixth, seventh, or eighth vertebra; this con- F i g . 3 Y.-sixth Cervical Ver- 

 sists in the haemal descending processes being tebra, of natural size, viewed 

 united to the body of the vertebra by a sort of ^liy. a. Wild GaUus 

 buttress. This structure may be observed in 



Cochins, Polish, some Hamburghs, and probably other breeds; but is 

 absent, or barely developed, in Game, Dorking, Spanish, Bantam, and 



