Paper, 'On remnants or vestiges of amphibian and reptilian structures found in the skull of birds, both carinatae and ratitae' by William Kitchen Parker

Description

Parker writes: 'One of the most remarkable structures found in the skull of certain Amniota or higher Vertebrata—Reptiles and Mammals, is the so-called “Jacobson’s organ”. A pair of these curious gland-like bodies, each carefully placed in its own special capsule, may be seen in Serpents, Lizards, and Mammals; but they are not present in Tortoises, Crocodiles or Birds, as far as our present knowledge goes. Rathke, in his work on the snake’s skull, spoke of the “nasal glands and their capsules”, and for a long while this term made them to be confused with the nasal glands of birds, which have nothing whatever to do with “Jacobson’s organs”.'

Annotations in pencil and ink.

Subject: Ornithology

Received 9 February 1888. Read 23 February 1888.

A version of this paper was published in volume 43 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On remnants or vestiges of Amphibian and reptilian structures found in the skull of birds, both carinatæ and ratitæ'.

Reference number

PP/11/29

Earliest possible date

1888

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

13 pages

Format

Manuscript