xi PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE 413 



selves out in this way ; and I think it is about as 

 droll a sight as you can well see to look at a cage 

 full of these pigeons puffing and blowing them 

 selves out in this ridiculous manner. 



This diagram is a representation of the third 

 kind I mentioned the Fantail. It is, you see, a 

 small bird, with exceedingly small legs and a very 

 small beak. It is most curiously distinguished by 

 the size and extent of its tail, which, instead of 

 containing twelve feathers, may have many more, 

 say thirty, or even more I believe there are 

 some with as many as forty-two. This bird has a 

 curious habit of spreading out the feathers of its 

 tail in such a way that they reach forward and 

 touch its head ; and if this can be accomplished, I 

 believe it is looked upon as a point of great beauty. 



But here is the last great variety, the Tumbler; 

 and of that great variety, one of the principal 

 kinds, and one most prized, is the specimen repre 

 sented here the short-faced Tumbler. Its beak, 

 you see, is reduced to a mere nothing. Just com 

 pare the beak of this one and that of the first one, 

 the Carrier I believe the orthodox comparison of 

 the head and beak of a thoroughly well-bred Tum 

 bler is to stick an oat into a cherry, and that will 

 give you the proper relative proportions of the 

 beak and head. The feet and legs are exceedingly 

 small, and the bird appears to be quite a dwarf 

 when placed side by side with this great Carrier. 



These are differences enough in regard to their 



