280 FOWLS. Chap. VII. 



vertebrae ; 71 but the lumbar and sacral are so much anchylosed that 

 I am not sure of their number, and this makes the comparison of 

 the total number of vertebrae in the several breeds difficult. I have 

 spoken of six caudal vertebras, because the basal one is almost 

 completely anchylosed with the pelvis ; but if we consider the 

 number as seven, the caudal vertebrae agree in all the skeletons. 

 The cervical vertebrae are, as just stated, in appearance fourteen ; 

 but out of twenty-three skeletons in a fit state for examination, in 

 five of them, namely, in two Games, in two pencilled Hamburghs, 

 and in a Polish, the fourteenth vertebra bore ribs, which, though 

 small, were perfectly developed with a double articulation. The 

 presence of these little ribs cannot be considered as a fact of much 

 importance, for all the cervical vertebra} bear representatives of ribs ; 

 but their development in the fourteenth vertebra reduces the size 

 of the passages in the transverse processes, and makes this vertebra 

 exactly like the first dorsal vertebra. The addition of these little ribs 

 does not affect the fourteenth cervical alone, for properly the ribs 

 ot the first true dorsal vertebra are destitute of processes ; but 

 in some of the skeletons in which the fourteenth cervical bore 

 little ribs the first pair of true ribs had well-developed processes. 

 "When we know that the sparrow has only nine, and the swan twenty- 

 three cervical vertebra}, 7 - we need feel no surprise at the number 

 of the cervical vertebrae in the fowl being, as it appears, variable. 



There are seven dorsal vertebra} bearing ribs ; the first dorsal is 

 never anchylosed with the succeeding four, which are generally 

 anchylosed together. In one Sultan fowl, however, the two first 

 dorsal vertebra} were free. In two skeletons, the fifth dorsal was 

 free ; generally the sixth is free (as in G. barJciva), 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 vertebra}. So that the degree to 

 which these middle dorsal vertebrae are anchylosed 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. bankiva; 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 fourteenth cervical vertebra, there were, 

 when these cervical ribs are included, eight pahs ; 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 



71 It appears that I have not caudal vertebra; in this genus. But 



correctly designated the several groups I have used the same terras in all the 



of vertebra?, for a great authority. following descriptions. 

 Mr. W. K. Parker (• Transact. Zoolog. 72 Macgillivray, 'British Birds,' vol 



Soc.,' vc. v. p. 198), specifies 16 i. p. 25. 

 cervical, 4- dorsal, 15 lumbar, and 6 



