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Show 172 DOMESTIC PIGEONS. CHAP. v. iH much smaller than tho rock-pigeon, and would natmally have shorter feet· but it .is found on cttlcuh~tion to have feet too short by ·11 of an inc< in comparison with tho foot of the rock-pigeon, relative]! to the size of tho body in these two birds, as measured from tho base of ?oak to the oil-gland. So again, when this same tumbler and tho rock-p1goon wm:o compared by the Jongth of their wings, or by tho extreme length ~f therr bodies, the feet of tho tumbler wore likewise found to be too short m very nearly tho same proportion. I am well aware that the measurements pretend to greater accuracy than is possible, but it was loss trouble to write down tho actual measurements given by tho compasses in each case than an approximation. TADLE I. l'igcons with th eir bealcs generally shorte1· than that qf the Roclc-pigeon, proportionully with the size of their bodies. Name of Breed. Wild rock-pigeon (mean measurement) I Short-faced Tumbler, baltl-hond .. , , almond 'fumbler, reel magpie .. .. .. 'l'u;bit r tl common (by standard to end of tail) common balu-bou<l .. roller ,Jnc~bin .. 'J'rumpoter, whito . . , mottlc<l .. Frmtail (by standard to end of tail) , crested var. Indian Frill-back English Frill-buck .. Nun .. Laugher .. Barb .. s1;~t .'.' S\~~ll~~. 1·~d .. , bluo .. Pouter , German Bussorah Cani01· Actual length of Feet. 2·02 1•57 1·GO 1'75 1•85 1•85 1·80 1•75 1•80 1• 84 1·DO 2·02 1·D5 1•85 1•95 1·D5 1·80 2·10 1·82 1·65 2·00 2·00 1·90 1·90 1·85 2·00 2·42 2·30 2•17 Difference between actual nnd calcnlntcd length of feet, in proportion to length of feet and size of body in the Rock-pigeon. Too short I Too long by by o·n o· lG O·l!) 0·07 0·18 0·06 0•17 O·Ol 0•15 0·02 O·OG 0·18 0·15 0•15 o·o o·o 0·19 0·03 0·02 0·16 0·03 0·03 0·02 0•07 0·18 0•03 O·ll 0·09 0·09 Number of specimens .. .. -2-8 1 -2-2 1 -5- 1 CIIAP. V. ON TIIE EFFECTS OF DISUSE. 173 TABLE II. P'igeons with their beaks lon.r;e7· than that of the Roclc-pigeon, proportionally with the size of their· bod£es. N arne of Breed. Actual length of Feet. Differrncc brtween nctunl and calculated lrngt h of feet, in proportion to lrngth of fret and size of body In the Hock-pigeon. T~ short I To~ong Wilu rook-pigeon (moAn mmsuroruont) 2·02 by by ----------------·-------- ------.------- Crtrricr 2·GO O· 31 2·60 0•25 2•40 0·21 2·25 O· OG 2·80 0·56 2·80 0•37 2•85 .. 0·2!) ", Dmgon .. llagudott •n C~trrior .. Scandcroon, white .. .. Pigeon cygne Hunt':. Number of specimens .. .. ·:· 1-:-. i~l In those two tables we see in the first column the actual length of the foot in th.:il'ty-six birds belonging to various broods, and in tho two other columns we soc by how much the foot are too short or too long, according to tho size of bird, in comparison with the l'ock-pigoon. In the first t.'tble twenty-two specimens have their foot too short, on an average by a little above the tenth of an inch (viz. ·107); and five specimens have thoi1· foot on an average a very little too long, namely, by ·07 of an inch. But some of those latter and exceptional cases can be explained; for instance, with pouters the legs and feet are selected for length, and thus any natural tendency to a dinJinution in the length of tho feet will have boon counteracted. In tho swallow and barb, when the calculation was made on any standard of comparison excepting tho one above used (viz. length of body from base of beak to oil-gland), the foot wore found to be too small. In tho second table we have eight birds, with their beaks much longer than in the rock-pigeon, both actually and proportionally with tho size of body, and their foot are in an equally marked manner longer, namely, in proportion, on an average by ·29 of an inch. I should hero state that in Table I. thoro arc a few partial exceptions to the beak being proportionally shorter than in the rock-pigeon: thus the beak of tho English frill-back is just perceptibly longer, and that of tho Bussorah carrio1· of the same length or slightly longer, than in the rock-pigeon. Tho beaks of spots, swallows, and laughers arc only a very little shorter, or of tho same proportional length, but slenderer. Ncvorthcloss, those two tables, taken conjointly, indicate pretty plainly some kind of conolation between tho length of tho beak and tho size of the feet. Breeders of cattle and hor es believe that thoro is an analogous connection between tho length of the limbs and head; they assort that a race-horse with tho head of a dray-horse, or a |