305 WATTLED PIGEONS. 



Batavian Bagdad {Pigeon Bagadais Batave). — " Some authors 

 call it Grand Batavian, because the first of them were brought 

 from Batavia ; they think also that it, and not the Blue E-ock 

 Pigeon, ought to be regarded as the primitive stock of the 

 Bagdads. Larger than the Great Mushroomed Bagdad, though 

 with less beak and eye wattle ; pearled eyes ; very long beak, 

 attaining up to dix-huit lignes de longeiir; neck extremely long; 

 body large, short, and very high on the legs ; feet and legs of 

 the colour of blood, often long enough to get a good finger 

 length beyond the tail when stretched out. Its walk is heavy 

 and its flight laborious, on account of its short wings, which, 

 besides, are sparsely covered with feathers, and the prominent 

 bones of the shoulders appear nearly bare. It produces little, 

 and is not now much sought after by amateurs, who formerly 

 did not grudge to pay up to ten louis a pair for them. This is 

 no doubt owing to the little grace of their form, and the 

 destruction they make in the aviary in plucking and killing 

 the young of others with their formidable beaks. This bird is 

 the largest of all pigeons. M. Corbie has one large enoiigh to 

 drink out of an ordinary bucket without the least trouble. 

 There has been seen, with a fancier coming from Germany, a 

 bird called a Hen Pigeon " (Leghorn Runt, or Hilhnertauhe), " in 

 all respects like the Batavian, except having no beak and eye 

 wattle." 



Boitard and Corbie's illustration of this curious pigeon has 

 been copied by Brent, on page 21 of his book, and called the 

 Scanderoon, or Great Horseman. It has much in common 

 with my drawing of the Leghorn Runt, but its very short tail 

 is carried below its flights. I can scarcely believe that its 

 original home was in Batavia, though brought thence to 

 France. There has for centuries been a trade between 

 Batavia and the Persian Gulf. This is said to be the largest 

 of all pigeons, not excepting the Runt, or Pigeon Bomain. 

 It is also described by Neumeister — who gives a di'awing 

 of it, coloured red (Plate XYII. of his book) -^ as the. 



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