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Embryology of Pigeons

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I compared Pouter & Barb about 24 hours old, Dragon 12 hours Fantail 18 hours, & another spec 24 hours old in a Dovecot bred from [illeg] wild Bird, sent me by Col. King, said to be under 24 hours old. I am inclined to think that possibly a little older; & wonderfully different as these breeds are when mature there was astonishing little difference as to Beaks; barely perceptible, when measured in several ways, length more than 2 or 3/100 of an inch when held in a row I could only just perceive difference in breeds. It is interesting as agreeing with my view of origin of Barb, that are of this & Dragon slightly more smaller than of other breeds & not otherwise to be distinguished. The width of lower mandible or gape of mouth which in Dragon, Barb is as .6 to .4 to Dovecot & Fantail & in Dragon & carrier as .65 to .4 & in Runts as .68 to 4 is in all these young birds of almost exactly the same width. The Nostrils which in Carriers & Runts are more than double the length, & in old Barbs some considerable degree larger than in other breeds, were in the young birds of these 3 breeds, some little degree longer, (viz as .16 to .13 or .14) but is nothing like so great a proportion; the nostrils of Barb & Dragon were at this age of equal length; but as stated the [illeg] is slightly more swollen (not carunculated) the nostril more open than in other breeds. In Carriers the eye-lid is more than twice viz (.75 to .33 -.35) as long as in Rock & Dovecots is nearly twice in Runt & Barb, but in young birds of these breeds the extreme

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State that there are many difficulties in measurement, owing to extraordinary rapid growth of young pigeons - yet I have taken great pains & I think the following results may be trusted, showing that laws of embryology hold good with some exceptions - We have even confirmed affinity of Barb & Carrier, about which I at one time doubted.

In Portfolio (perfect M.S) on Pigeons, the Table of measurements are kept in case I shd want them.

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(2

difference was as .21 to .13; & in Barb it was hardly longer than in other breeds: there did not appear to be more naked skin (not at all carunculated) in this breed than in another - I compared the head of a Runt & first rate Carrier (Mr Hayes) (both dead in the act of Hatching) & though there is considerable difference as to beaks of the these birds when mature, I could perceive none whatever at this age. In length of feet there is very considerable difference as to different breeds, but the difference is not nearly so marked in the young birds of the above breeds, as I ascertained, proportionally to the old, by calculating by of Rule of Three in several ways. I compared whole length of leg in Pouter & Fan-tail, which is more than inch in mature birds & scarcely a trace of difference cd be detected.

(The short-faced Tumbler differs from other breeds, in as much as in shortness of beak in all its measurements & nearly as much in length of feet, differs nearly or quite as much in the young before 1 day old as in mature bird. This [illeg] as like most artificial of breeds & & one of most recent.) & shows at what different ages differences appear.

Length of beak of most [illeg] carrier, always appears earlier than most characters, rather a steps degree.

(I compared Pouters, Dragons & Barbs & Swallow at 10 days old growth enormous - the differences now well marked, but certainly not so strong as when Mature.

I cd not inflate (nor cd I observe in living spec) that Pouters at this age inflated œsophagus or even crop barely more than other pigeons

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