16± DOMESTIC PIGEONS : Chap. V. 



birds arc a very little larger than the rock-pigeon, with the beak a 

 trace smaller in all its dimensions, and with the feet decidedly 

 smaller. They are symmetrically coloured, with a spot on the 

 forehead, with the tail and tail-coverts of the same colour, the rest 

 of the body being white. This breed existed in 1676 ; 22 and in 1735 

 Moore remarks that they breed truly, as is the case at the present day. 

 Sub-race V. Swallows. — These birds, as measured from tip to tip 

 of wing, or from the end of the beak to the end of the tail, exceed 

 in size the rock-pigeon ; but their bodies are much less bulky ; 

 their feet and legs are likewise smaller. The beak is of about the 

 same length, but rather slighter. Altogether their general appear- 

 ance is considerably different from that of the rock-pigeon. Their 

 heads and wings are of the same colour, the rest of the body being 

 white. Their flight is said to be peculiar. This seems to be a 

 modern breed, which, however, originated before the year 1795 in 

 Germany, for it is described by Bechstein. 



Besides the several breeds now described, three or four other very 

 distinct kinds existed lately, or perhaps still exist, in Germany and 

 France. Firstly, the Karmeliten, or carme pigeon, which I have 

 not seen ; it is described as of small size, with very short legs, and 

 with an extremely short beak. Secondly, the Finnikin, which is 

 now extinct in England. It had, according to Moore's 23 treatise, 

 published in 1735, a tuft of feathers on the hinder part of the head, 

 which ran down its back not unlike a horses mane. " When it is 

 salacious it rises over the hen and turns round three or four times, 

 napping its wings, then reverses and turns as many times the other 

 way." The Turner, on the other hand, when it " plays to the 

 female, turns only one way." Whether these extraordinary state- 

 ments may be trusted I know not ; but the inheritance of any 

 habit may be believed, after what we have seen with respect to 

 the Ground-tumbler of India. MM. Boitard and Corbie describe a 

 pigeon 24 which has the singular habit of sailing for a considerable 

 time through the air, without flapping its wings, like a bird of prey. 

 The confusion is inextricable, from the time of Aldrovandi in 1600 

 to the present day, in the accounts published of the Draijers, 

 Stniters, Finnikins, Turners, Claquers, &c., which are all remark- 

 able from their manner of flight. Mr. Brent informs me that he 

 has seen one of these breeds in Germany with its wing-feathers 

 injured from having been so often struck together but he 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 with a forked tail is mentioned in some treatises ; and as 

 Bechstein 25 briefly describes and figures this bird, with a tail "having 



22 Willughby's' Ornithology,' edited 24 Pigeon pattu plongeur. ' Les 

 by Ray. Pigeons,' &c, p. 165. 



23 J. M. Eaton's tdition (1858) of 25 ' Naturgeschichte Deutschlands,' 

 Moore, p. 98. Band iv. s. 47. 



