t. But besides the
improbability of a bird having long ago become extinct in these large and
luxuriant islands, it appears (as we shall presently see) that the turkey
degenerates in India, and this fact indicates that it was not aboriginally
an inhabitant of the lowlands of the tropics.

[471] Audubon's 'Ornithological Biograph.,' vol. i., 1831, pp. 4-13; and
'Naturalist's Library,' vol. xiv., Birds, p. 138.

[472] F. Michaux, 'Travels in N. America,' 1802, Eng. translat., p. 217.

[473] 'Ornamental Poultry,' by the Rev. E. S. Dixon, 1848, p. 34.

[474] Rev. E. S. Dixon, id., p. 35.

[475] Bechstein, 'Naturgesch. Deutschlands,' B. iii., 1793, s. 309.

[476] 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1852, p. 699.

[477] E. Blyth, in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' 1847, vol. xx. p. 391.

[478] Roulin makes this remark in 'Mem. de divers Savans, l'Acad. des
Sciences,' tom. vi., 1835, p. 349. Mr. Hill, of Spanish Town, in a letter
to me, describes five varieties of the guinea-fowl in Jamaica. I have seen
singular pale-coloured varieties imported from Barbadoes and Demerara.

[479] For St. Domingo, _see_ M. A. Salle, in 'Proc. Soc. Zoolog.,' 1857, p.
236. Mr. Hill remarks to me, in his letter, on the colour of the legs of
the feral birds in Jamaica.

[480] Mr. B. P. Brent, 'The Canary, British Finches,' &c., pp. 21, 30.

[481] 'Cottage Gardener,' Dec. 11th, 1855, p. 184. An account is here given
of all the varieties. For many measurements of the wild birds, _see_ Mr. E.
Vernon Harcourt, id., Dec. 25th, 1855, p. 223.

[482] Bechstein, 'Naturgesch. der Stubenvoegel,' 1840, s. 243; _see_ s. 252,
on the inherited song of Canary-birds. With respect to their baldness,
_see_ also W. Kidd's 'Treatise on Song-Birds.'

[483] W. Kidd's 'Treatise on Song-Birds,' p. 18.

[484] The 'Indian Field,' 1858, p. 255.

[485] Yarrell's 'British Fishes,' vol. i, p. 319.

[486] Mr. Blyth, in the 'Indian Field,' 1858, p. 255.

[487] 'Proc. Zoolog. Soc.,' May 25th. 1842.

[488] Yarrell's 'British Fishes,' vol. i. p. 319.

[489] 'Dict. Class. d'Hist. Nat.,' tom. v. p. 276.

[490] 'Observations in Nat. Hist.,' 1846, p. 211. Dr. Gray has described,
in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' 1860, p. 151, a nearly similar variety,
but destitute of a dorsal fin.

[491] 'De l'Espece,' 1859, p. 459. With respect to the bees of Burgundy,
_see_ M. Gerard, art. 'Espece,' in 'Dict. Univers. d'Hist. Nat.'

[492] _See_ a discussion on this subject, in answer to