Locomotor Movements in the Spinal Pigeon

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Abstract
The lumbosacral spinal cord is able to co-ordinate locomotor movements of the hind limbs. A spinal bird under normal circumstances is unable to walk since it can no longer maintain the upright posture in consequence of the disconnexion of the higher centres. When a spinal pigeon is fixed in a carriage, so that its legs reach the ground, true walking movements in the the hind limbs can be elicited by painful stimuli applied to the hindpart of the body. In this way the pigeon can move over relatively great distances. A flight or evasion reflex can also be elicited by stimulation of the skin of the coccyx and anus. The spinal cord of birds shows a high degree of autonomy of the lower centres in the co-ordination of walking movements. The higher centres initiate and regulate these movements.

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