154 FANCY PIGEONS. 



thus : " When the Cock plays to his Hen, he has a hoarse 

 Coo, not unlike the Guggling of a Bottle of Water, when 

 pour'd out, and then makes a Noise, which very much 

 imitates a soft Laughter, and from thence this Bird has 

 its Name." 



These pigeons are known in France as Pigeons Chanteurs 

 du Soudan, Les Bieurs du Soudan, or as Chanteurs de la 

 Mecque; and in Germany, as MeTchatauhen. The holy city of 

 Mecca appears to be the head - quarters of the breed, 

 whence pilgrims take them to Mahomedan countries. They 

 have probably been taken to Hindostan for centuries, as 

 Akbar's Kokah Pigeon, whose voice resembles the call to 

 prayer, would seem to have been of this breed. In size and 

 shape they resemble common flying Tumblers. The beak is 

 slender, and rather longer than that of the common clean- 

 legged Tumbler. They usually carry the wings low, especially 

 when laughing. 



The first of this breed I possessed was a Blue hen, that 

 appears to have been brought to Dundee in a vessel from 

 Calcutta. I was told that, in a certain shop, there was a 

 pigeon with a very strange voice, but differing from that 

 of the Trumpeter. On going to see it, I learned it was 

 sold, but recognised it from the description as a Laugher. 

 I found where it had gone to, and I bought it. This 

 bird was ban-en, but she had a perfect voice. I next 

 got two Blues from M. la Perre de Roo. They came 

 from Marseilles, and were both hens, so I was unable to 

 get any young ones. As the colour of all these birds was 

 peculiar, I will describe it. Their wing coverts were of a 

 smoky, leaden blue, their wing bars not very distinct, and 

 their neck feathers were glossed with a reddish purple tint. 

 Shortly afterwards I found, in a different shop in Dundee, 

 a cock bird of this breed, which also came from India. He 

 was blue chequered, with a few white feathers on the head 

 and rump. From him and one of the Blue hens I bred 



