OCR Text |
Show .. 156 DOMESTIC PIGEONS. CIIAP. v. Nuns aro symmetrically coloured, with the head, primary wing-feathers, tail, and tail-coverts of tho same colour, namely, black or red, and with tho rest of tho body white. This breed has retained the same chamcter Rince Aldrovandi wrote in 1600. I have 1·eceived fl'Om Madras almost similarly coloured birds. SulHace IV. Spots (Dio Blass-Taube: Pigeons heurt6s).-These birds are a very little larger than the rock-pigeon, with the beak a trace smaller in all its dimensions, and with tho feet decidedly smaJJ.er. They arc symmetrically coloured, with a spot on the forehead, with tho tail and tail-coverts of the same colour, tho rest of tho body being white. This breed existed in 1676; 22 and in 1735 Moore remarks that they breed truly, as is tho case at tho present day. Sub-mce V. Swallows.·-TheRe birds, as measured from tip to tip of 'ying, or from the end of tho beak to the end oftbe tail, exceed in size the rockpigeon; but their bodies are much less bulky; their feet and legs arc likewise smaller. The beak is of about the same length, but rather slighter. Altogoth or their general appearance is considerably dllferent from that of tho rock-pigeon. Their heads and wings are of the same colour, tho rest of the body being white. Their flight is said to be peculiar. This seems to be a modern brood, which, however, originated before tho year 1795 in Germany, for it is described by Bechstein. Besides the several breeds now described, throe or four other very distinct kinds existed lately, or perhaps still exist, in Germany and Franco. Firstly, the Karmeliton, or Carme Pigeon, which I have not seen; it is described as of small size, with very short logs, and with an extremely short beak. Secondly, tho Finnikin, which is now extinct in England. It bad, according to Moore's 28 treatise, published in 1735, a tuft of feathers on the hinder part of tho head, which ran down its back not unlike a horse's mane. " When it is salacious it rises over the hen and turns round three or folll' times, flapping its wings, then reverses and turns as many times tho other way." The Turner, on tho other hand, when it "plays to the female, turns only one way." Whether these extraordinary statements may be trusted I know not; but the inherita,nco of any habit may be believed, after what we have seen with respect to tho Ground-tumbler of India. MM. Boitard and Corbie describe a pigeon 24 which has the singuJar habit of sailing for a considerable time through tho air, without flapping its wings, like a bird of prey. Tho confusion is inextricable, from the time of Aldrovandi in 1600 to tho present day, in tho accounts published of the Draijers, Smitors, Finnikins, Turners, Claquers, &c., which are all remarkable from their manner of flight. Mr. Brent informs mo that ho has seen one of those breeds in Germany with its wing-feathers injured from having been so often struck together; but be did not see it flying. An old stuffed specimen of a Finnikin in the British Museum presents no well-marked character. Thirdly, a singular pigeon 22 Willoughby's 'Ornithology,' edited by Ray. 2:! J. M. Eaton's edition (1858) of Moore, p. 98. 2• Pigeon Patu Plongcur. ' Les Pigeons,' &c., p. 165. CHAP. v. DESCRIPTION OF BREEDS. 157 with a forked tail is mentioned in some treatises; and as Bechstoin w briefly describes and figures this bird, with a tail "having completely the stn10ture of that of the house-swallow," it must once have existed, for Bechstein was far too good a naturalist to have confounded any distinct species with the domestic pigeon. Lastly, an extraordinary pigeon imported from Belgium has lately been exhibited at the Pb:iloperisteron Society in London,2G which "conjoins tho colour of an archangel with the head of an owl or barb, its most striking peculiarity being the extraordinary length of the tail and wing-feathers, the latter crossing beyond tho tail, and giving to tho bird the appearance of a gigantic swift (Cypsolus), or long-winged hawk." Mr. Tegetmeicr informs me that this bird weighed only 10 ounces, but in length was 15~ inches from tip of beak to end of tail, and 32~ inches from tip to tip of wing; now the wild rock-pigeon weighs 14i ounces, and measures from tip of beak to end of tail15 inches, and from tip to tip of wing only 26! inches. I have now described all the domestic pigeons known to me, and have added a few others on reliable authority. I have classed them under four Groups, in order to mark their affinities and degrees of difference ; but the third group is artificial. The kinds examined by me form eleven races, which include several sub-races ; and even these latter present differences that would certainly have been thought of specific value if observed in a state of nature. The sub-races likewise include many strictly inherited varieties; so that altogether there must exist, as previously stated, above 150 kinds which can be distinguished, though generally by characters of extremely slight importance. Many of the genera of the Columbidre, which are admitted by ornithologists, do not differ in any great degree from each other; taking this into consideration, there can be no doubt that several of the most strongly characterised domestic forms, if found wild, would have been placed in at least five new genera. Thus, a new genus would have been formed for the reception of the improved English Pouter : a second genus for Carriers and Runts; and this would have been a wide or comprehensive genus, for it would have admitted common Spanish Runts without any wattle, short-beakeq Runts like the Tronfo, and the improved English Carrier: a third genus would have been formed for the Barb: a fourth for the Fantail: and lastly, a fifth for the short-beaked, not-wattled pigeons, such as Turbits 2 " 'Natmgesch. Deutschlands,' Band '' 26 Mr. W. B. Tegetmoier, 'Journal iv. s. 47. or Horticultmr, · Jan. 204,1, 1863, p. 58. + |