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Show viii UST OF JLl,USTRATIONS. PAG1': 262 ' WED FROM ABOVE, A LITTLE OBLIQUELY.. . . . . 34 SKULLS OF Fo"LS, VIE FOWLS VIEWED LATERALLY . . 2G3 . ONS OF SKULLS OF ' 265 35. LONGITUDINAL SEO'fl OVE A Ll'l'TLE OBLIQUELY • • ' FowL VIEWED FROM AB , 2G7 36. SKULL OF HoRNED ' F VIEWED LATELtALLY .. .. .. VERTEBRJE OF 'OWLS, 268 37. SrxTn CERVICAL FowLs VIEWED LATERAJ,LY • . •. • . 38. EXTREMITY OF TilE FURCULA OF ' UCED ~1'0 ~·WO-'l'UIRDS OF TUE WED LATERALLY, RED 282 3(). SKULLS OF DucKs, vm .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. NATURAL SIZE .. " " " 283 DuOKS OF NATURAL SIZE .. 40. CJniwiOAL Vmu•rEBRlE OF , .. .. .. .. 328 41. Pons Oll' 'l'HE CoMMON PEA , . . . . , ·u~:AL ~;zE ·~mWED EDGEWAYS 337 AND ALMOND S·rONES, OF NAI ' 345 42. PlllAOll WED LATERAJ,J,Y • · ·' '' 43. PLUM S•r'ONES, OF NA~'URAL SIZE, VIE THE VARIATION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS UNDER DOMESTICATION. INTRODUCTION. THE object of this work is not to describe all the many races of animals which have been domesticated by man, and of the plants which have been cultivated by him; even if I possessed the requisite knowledge, so gigantic an undertaking would be here superfluous. It is my intention to give under the head of each species only such facts as I have been able to collect or observe, showing the amount and nature of the changes whieh animals and plants have undergone whilst under man's dommion, or which bear on the general principles of variation. In one case alone, namely in that of the domestic pigeon, I will describe fully all the chief races, their history, the amount and nature of their differences, and the probable steps by which they have been forme.d. I have selected this case, because, as we shall hereafter see, the materials are better than in any other; and one case fully described will in fact illnstrate all others. But I shall 11lso describe domesticated rabbits, fowls, and ducks, with considerable fullness. The subjects discussed in this volume are so connected that it is not a little difficult to decide how they can be best arranged. I have determined in the first part to give, under the heads of the various animals and plants, a large body of facts, some of which may at first appear but little related to our subject, and to devote the latter part to general d1scus:3ions. Whenever I have found it necessary to give numerous details, in support of any proposition or conclusion, small type has been used. The re~der VOL. I. B |