O'C. had stuffed and exhibited. It has a fine
crest, something like that of a Polish fowl, but _larger_ in proportion
to the bird, and very regular and well formed. The male must have been
almost like the Umbrella bird in miniature, the crest is so large and
expanded.--A.R.W.
* * * * *
_Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. September 22, 1865._
Dear Wallace,--I am much obliged for your extract; I never heard of such
a case, though such a variation is perhaps the most likely of any to
occur in a state of nature and be inherited, inasmuch as all
domesticated birds present races with a tuft or with reversed feathers
on their heads. I have sometimes thought that the progenitor of the
whole class must have been a crested animal.
Do you make any progress with your Journal of travels? I am the more
anxious that you should do so as I have lately read with much interest
some papers by you on the ouran-outang, etc., in the _Annals_, of which
I have lately been reading the latter volumes, I have always thought
that Journals of this nature do considerable good by advancing the taste
for natural history; I know in my own case that nothing ever stimulated
my zeal so much as reading Humboldt's Personal Narrative.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261