_Correlation of Growth._—By this term I mean that the whole
organisation is so connected, that when one part varies, other parts
vary; but which of two correlated variations ought to be looked at as
the cause and which as the effect, or whether both result from some
common cause, we can seldom or never tell. The point of interest for us
is that, when fanciers, by the continued selection of slight
variations, have largely modified one part, they often unintentionally
produce other modifications. For instance, the beak is readily acted on
by selection, and, with its increased or diminished length, the tongue
increases or diminishes, but not in due proportion; for, in a Barb and
Short-faced Tumbler, both of which have very short beaks, the tongue,
taking the rock-pigeon as the standard of comparison, was
proportionally not shortened enough, whilst in two Carriers and in a
Runt the tongue, proportionally with the beak, was not lengthened
enough, thus, in a first-rate English Carrier, in which the beak from
the tip to the feathered base was exactly thrice as long as in a
first-rate Short-faced Tumbler, the tongue was only a little more than
twice as long. But the tongue varies in length independently of the
beak: thus in a Carrier with a beak 1·2 inch in length, the tongue was
·67 in length: whilst in a Runt which equalled the Carrier in length of
body and in stretch of wings from tip to tip, the beak was ·92 whilst
the tongue was ·73 of an inch in length, so that the tongue was
actually longer than in the carrier with its long beak. The tongue of
the Runt was also very broad at the root. Of two Runts, one had its
beak longer by ·23 of an inch, whilst its tongue was shorter by ·14
than in the other.
With the increased or diminished length of the beak the length of the
slit forming the external orifice of the nostrils varies, but not in
due proportion, for, taking the rock-pigeon as the standard, the
orifice in a Short-faced Tumbler was not shortened in due proportion
with its very short beak. On the other hand (and this could not have
been anticipated), the orifice in three English Carriers, in the
Bagadotten Carrier, and in a Runt (_pigeon cygne_), was longer by above
the tenth of an inch than would follow from the length of the beak
proportionally with that of the rock-pigeon. In one Carrier the orifice
of the nostrils was thrice as long as in the rock-pigeon, though in
body and length of beak this bird was not nearly double the size of the
rock-pigeon. This greatly increased length of the orifice of the
nostrils seems to stand partly in correlation with the enlargement of
the wattled skin on the upper mandible and over the nostrils; and this
is a character which is selected by fanciers. So again, the broad,
naked, and wattled skin round the eyes of Carriers and Barbs is a
selected character; and in obvious correlation with this, the eyelids,
measured longitudinally, are proportionally more than double the length
of those of the rock-pigeon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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