IV 
VARIATION UNDER DOMESTICATION 
93 
Race VIII. Indian Frill-back. — In these birds the beak is 
very short, and the feathers of the whole body are reversed 
or turn backwards. 
Race IX. Jacobin .—These curious birds have a hood of 
feathers almost enclosing the head and meeting in front of 
the neck. The wings and tail are unusually long. 
Race X. Trumpeter. — Distinguished by a tuft of feathers 
curling forwards over the beak, and the feet very much 
feathered. They obtain their name from the peculiar voice 
unlike that of any other pigeon. The coo is rapidly repeated, 
and is continued for several minutes. The feet are covered 
with feathers so large as often to appear like little wings. 
Race XI. comprises Laughers, Frill-backs, Nuns, Spots, and 
Swallows. — They are all very like the common rock-pigeon, 
but have each some slight peculiarity. The Laughers have a 
peculiar voice, supposed to resemble a laugh. The Nuns are 
white, with the head, tail, and primary wing-feathers black or 
red. The Spots are white, with the tail and a spot on the 
forehead red. The Swallows are slender, white in colour, 
with the head and wings of some darker colour. 
Besides these races and sub-races a number of other kinds 
have been described, and about one hundred and fifty varieties 
can be distinguished. It is interesting to note that almost 
every part of the bird, whose variations can be noted and 
selected, has led to variations of a considerable extent, and 
many of these have necessitated changes in the plumage and 
in the skeleton quite as great as any that occur in the 
numerous distinct species of large genera. The form of the 
skull and beak varies enormously, so that the skulls of the 
Short-faced tumbler and some of the Carriers differ more 
than any wild pigeons, even those classed in distinct genera. 
The breadth and number of the ribs vary, as well as the 
processes on them; the number of the vertebrce and the 
length of the sternum also vary ; and the perforations in the 
sternum vary in size and shape. The oil gland varies in 
development, and is sometimes absent. The number of the 
wing-feathers varies, and those of the tail to an enormous 
extent. The proportions of the leg and feet and the number 
