98 THE PERPETUATION OF LIVING BEINGS, 



Among the enormous variety, — I believe there are 

 somewhere about a hundred and fifty kinds of pigeons, 

 — there are four kinds which may be selected as repre- 

 senting the extremest divergences of one kind from an- 

 other. Their names are the Carrier, the Pouter, the 

 Fantail, and the Tumbler. In these large diagrams 

 that I have here they are each represented in their 

 relative sizes to each other. This first one is the Car- 

 rier ; you will notice this large excrescence on its 

 beak ; it has a comparatively small head ; there is a 

 bare space round the eyes ; it has a long neck, a very 

 long beak, very strong legs, large feet, long wings, and 

 so on. The second one is the Pouter, a very large bird, 

 with very long legs and beak. It is called the Pouter 

 because it is in the habit of causing its gullet to swell 

 up by inflating it with air. I should tell you that all 

 pigeons have a tendency to do this at times, but in the 

 Pouter it is carried to an enormous extent. The birds 

 appear to be quite proud of their power of swelling 

 and puffing themselves out in this way ; and I think it 

 is about as droll a sight as you can well see to look at 

 a cage full of these pigeons puffing and blowing them- 

 selves out in this ridiculous manner. 



This diagram is a representation of the third kind 

 I mentioned — the Fantail. It is, you see, a small bird, 

 with exceedingly small legs and a very small beak. 

 It is most curiously distinguished by the size and ex- 

 tent of its tail, which, instead of containing fourteen 

 feathers, may have many more, — say thirty, or even 

 more — I believe there are some with as many as forty- 

 two. This bird has a curious habit of spreading out 

 the feathers of its tail in such a way that they reach 

 forward, and touch its head ; and if this can be accom- 



