148 DOMESTIC PIGEONS : Chap. V. 



wattled, whilst that over the nostrils was fairly waltled. The Hon. 

 C. Murray, also, sent me two Carriers direct from Persia; these 

 had nearly the same character as the Madras bird, being about as 

 large as the rock-pigeon, but the beak in one specimen was as much 

 as 1*15 in length ; the skin over the nostrils was only moderately, 

 and that round the eyes scarcely at all wattled. 



Sub-race III. Bagadotten- Tatiben of Neumeister (Pavdotten- or 

 Hocker-Tauben). — I owe to the kindness of Mr. Baily, jun., a dead 

 specimen of this singular breed imported from Germany. It is 

 certainly allied to the Eunts ; nevertheless, from its close affinity 

 with Carriers, it will be convenient here to describe it. The beak 

 is long, and is hooked or bowed downwards in a highly remarkable 

 manner, as will be seen in the woodcut to be hereafter given when 

 I treat of the skeleton. The eyes are surrounded by a wide space 

 of bright red skin, which, as well as that over the nostrils, is mode- 

 rately wattled. The breast-bone is remarkably protuberant, being 

 abruptly bowed outwards. The feet and tarsi are of great length, 

 larger than in first-rate English Carriers. The whole bird is of 

 large size, but in proportion to the size of the body the feathers 

 of the wing and tail are short; a wild rock-pigeon, of considerably 

 less size, had tail-feathers 4/6 inches in length, whereas in the large 

 Bagadot.ten these feathers were scarcely over 4 - l inches in length. 

 Eiedel 9 remarks that it is a very silent bird. 



Sub-race I V. Bussorah Carrier. — Two specimens were sent me 

 by Sir W. Elliot from Madras, one in spirits and the other skinned. 

 The name shows its Persian origin. It is much valued in India, 

 and is considered as a distinct breed from the Bagdad Carrier, 

 which forms my second sub-race. At first I suspected that these 

 two sub-races might have been recently formed by crosses with 

 other breeds, though the estimation in which they are held renders 

 this improbable ; but in a Persian treatise, 10 believed to have been 

 written about 100 years ago, the Bagdad and Bussorah breeds 

 are described as distinct. The Bussorah Carrier is of about the 

 same size as the wild rock-pigeon. The shape of the beak, with 

 some little carunculated skin over the nostrils, — the much elongated 

 eyelids, — the broad mouth measured internally, — the narrow head, 

 — the feet proportionally a little longer than in the rock-pigeon, — 

 and the general appearance, all show that this bird is an undoubted 

 Carrier; yet in one specimen the beak was of exactly the same 

 length as in the rock-pigeon. In the other specimen the beak (as 

 well as the opening of the nostrils) was only a very little longer, 

 viz., by "08 of an inch. Although there was a considerable space 

 of bare and slightly carunculated skin round the eyes, that over 

 the nostrils was only in a slight degree rugose. Sir W. Elliot 



9 ' Die Taubenzucht,' Ulm, 1824, s. iu 1770: I owe to the great kindness 

 42. of Sir W. Elliot a translation of this 



10 This treatise was written by curious treatise. 

 Savzid Mohimmed Musari, who died 



