150 OUR DOMESTIC FO\VXS. 



or gray, being intermingled in streaks or 

 dashes. It is not until after several moults, 

 that the perfect colours are attained. 



The above list of varieties of the domestic 

 pigeon contains all of any note ; several others, 

 indeed, might be enumerated, as the Leghorn, 

 the Spanish, and the Friesland Runt, (the 

 latter having all its feathers reverted,) the 

 Lace, the Finniken, the Spot, etc., but they are 

 seldom to be seen, nor is any value attached to 

 them. 



THE SWIMMING, OR NATATORIAL GROUP. 



In the natatorial group, or order, we are 

 presented vi^ith a vast assemblage of birds, more 

 or less decidedly constructed for aquatic habits, 

 and the more so the more exclusively they tenant 

 the waters of the sea, inlets along coasts, the 

 mouths of wide rivers and extensive lakes. 

 Some, indeed, are so exclusively formed for 

 passing the period of their active existence, and 

 for pursuing their prey in the water, that on 

 the ground their movements are embarrassed 

 and awkward in the extreme, and, in a few, the 

 powers of flight are utterly abrogated. We are 

 now pointing to extreme cases on the one part, 



