Sir R. H. Schomburgk on the Birds of Siam. 251 



misbehaved and were told to leave the " wat " refused to do so, 

 but finding they were rather in a minority to the priests and 

 their disciples, who quickly assembled, they withdrew, threaten- 

 ing they would speedily return in increased numbers to do mis- 

 chief to the priests. 



The " wat " being fumed for the number of Pigeons that re- 

 sorted there, it so happened that another party of Europeans, 

 entirely unconnected with the former,. and ignorant of what had 

 occurred, entered the '^ wat,^^ and were mistaken for those that 

 had misbehaved, and set upon with bludgeons, brickbats, and 

 other missiles by the infuriated priesthood. Some of the gen- 

 tlemen were seriously injured; and it became one of my first 

 duties, after my arrival as Consul, to insist upon this wanton 

 attack being punished. The priests had to pay the surgeon's 

 expenses for attending to the wounded, the cost of a gun which 

 it was said was broken over the head of one of the sportsmen, 

 and a very heavy fine to the Siamese royal treasury — a lesson to 

 teach them to behave on other occasions with more charity and 

 moderation. However, notice was given from the British Consu- 

 late that none of Her Majesty's subjects had the right to shoot 

 within the precincts of a " wat " without the especial permis- 

 sion from the superior or from some other priest of authority. 

 What would be said and done at home if some Siamese entered 

 our chui'chyards and cemeteries with fowling-pieces, to amuse 

 themselves with shooting birds within their precincts ? 



The Domestic Pigeon is kept in Bangkok by many of the 

 native and foreign inhabitants. The second king has a great 

 pigeon-house opposite his library, which can be open or shut 

 by mechanical means from the window of his room. Some of 

 the Chinese possess flocks of fifty or more. Opposite to my 

 residence, on the right bank of the river, one of the Chinese has 

 not less than fifty. They frequently take an airing by flying 

 round the ships anchored in the river in front of their domicile. 

 These Pigeons are almost entirely white in colour. I have sel- 

 dom seen one that was spotted, which would show that they 

 do not intermix with the blue " wat " Pigeon. There are occa- 

 sionally found mongrels of the Fan-tailed Pigeon, which have 

 been produced by intermixture with the common House Pigeon. 



s 3 



