Beagle, under the Command of Capt. Fitz-Roy , R. Tenth Thousand. With numerous Illustrations. With numerous Woodcuts. With Woodcuts. Page Dun Devonshire Pony, with shoulder, spinal, and leg stripes PAGE Part of Zygomatic Arch, showing the projecting end of the malar-bone, and the auditory meatus, of Rabbits Posterior end of Skull, showing the inter-parietal bone, of Rabbits Lower Jaws of Pigeons, seen from above Occipital Foramen of the Skulls of Fowls Skulls of Fowls, viewed from above, a little obliquely Longitudinal sections of Skulls of Fowls, viewed laterally Skull of Horned Fowl, viewed from above, a little obliquely Extremity of the Furcula of Fowls, viewed laterally Skulls of Ducks, viewed laterally, reduced to two-thirds of the natural size Peach and Almond Stones, of natural size, viewed edgeways Plum Stones, of natural size, viewed laterally 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 which animals and plants have undergone whilst under man's dominion, 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 formed.
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 illustrate all others. But I shall also 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 discussions.
Whenever I have found it necessary to give numerous details, in support of any proposition or conclusion, small type has been used. It may be useful to those who have read nothing about Natural Selection, if I here give a brief sketch of the whole subject and of its bearing on the origin of species.
