142 FANCY PIGEONS. 



Runt, vrhich is so big and heavy it can hardly fly ; and the 

 Smyrna Runt, which is middle-siz'd and feather-footed." 

 These words are repeated by Mayor and Girton. I think it 

 probable that the title "Roman" was merely the retention of 

 the French name for some importations of Pigeons Romains. 

 There is nothing in the " Columbarium" to indicate that the 

 Roman Runt was of the Leghorn type. 



Runts as Table Pigeons. 



Eaton says of Runts : " I knew a pair sold for £25." They 

 were likely something out of the common. At present they 

 are not in great request, and it is a mistake to imagine that, 

 because they are large, they are worth keeping from an agri- 

 cultural point of view. Three pairs of common Tumblers, or 

 two pairs of large Homing Antwerps, would weigh about the 

 same as a pair of large Runts, and certainly not consume more 

 food. I think either the Tumblers or the Antwerps would 

 produce twice or thrice the weight of young ones in a year 

 that the Runts would do in this country. Although Eaton's 

 note regarding Runts is printed under Moore's account of the 

 Leghorn Runt, the information he gives regardiug them refers 

 to the Spanish Runt {Pigeon Bomain), not to the Cock-tailed, 

 or Leghorn Runt. 



The Almond and Blue Grizzled Runt Pigeons. 



I have seen some very fine Runts in India, in the possession 

 of the ex-King of Oude. He had almond-feathered and blue 

 grizzled ones of great size, the latter the Pigeon Romain 

 Argente, I fancy, and I understand they were procured for 

 him, from France, by Mr. Jamrach, who took many of them 

 to Calcutta about the year 1870. 



The Black-backed Gull Pigeon. 



I have never seen this variety, which has only been described 

 by Brent, so far as I can find. He says : " Of this variety I 



