Chapter XVI. 



OTHER DISTINCT KINDS OF ASIAN PIGEONS. 

 The Mahomet Pigeon. 



HE Mahomet, formerly known in England as 

 the Mawmet, was first described by Wil- 

 lughby, in 1676, who says : " Mawmets, 

 called (as I take it) from Mahomet, per- 

 chance because brought out of Turkey, 

 notable for their great black eyes, else like to the Barbaries." 

 Willughby must either have seen such pigeons, or had his 

 description of them from others. When Moore wrote his 

 book, some sixty years later, he knew of no pigeons "notable 

 for their great black eyes," but he describes the Mahomet as 

 "no more in Reality than a white Barb, which makes the 

 red tuberous Flesh round the Eyes look very beautiful." In 

 the preface to the "Treatise on Pigeons" (1765), the author 

 admits that his book is "on the plan of Mr. Moore," but 

 says that he has corrected some of his errors, and made 

 many additions. After mentioning Moore's description of 

 the Mahomet, he proceeds : " so far Mr. Moore ; but it is 

 the opinion of many fanciers, that the Bird called a mahomet 

 is nearly of a cream colour, with bars cross the wings as 



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