132 FANCY PIGEONS. 



black as ebony, the feathers very particular, being of two 

 colours: the upper part, or surface of them, appearing of a 

 cream, and underneath a kind of sooty colour, nearly 

 approaching to black; as are likewise the flue feathers, and 

 even the skin, which I never observed in any other Pigeons 

 but these : its size much like that of a Turbit, with a fine 

 gullet, and in lieu of a frill; the feathers rather appear like 

 a seam ; the head is short, and inclined to be thick ; hath an 

 orange-eye, and a small naked circle of black flesh round the 

 same ; and a beak something resembling that of a bullfinch, 

 with a small black wattle on it." 



In the pages of the Poultry Chronicle (1854-55) will be 

 found a discussion on the Mahomet Pigeon. Mr. W. Wood- 

 house, who had been breeding and also showing crested, 

 three-quarter bred white Barbs, as Mahomets, informed 

 fanciers in his letter to that journal, on 13th December, 

 1854, how he bred them. Brent would not accept these 

 birds as Mahomets, for he had shortly before, when writing 

 of them, quoted the above description of the true breed 

 from the Treatise, and had actually seen a pair in London. 

 He says : " This is one of the varieties of fancy pigeons 

 with which I have but a very slight acquaintance, having 

 only once seen a pair at a London dealer's, and their ap- 

 pearance gave me the idea of a cross between an Owl and 

 a Barb Pigeon; nevertheless, their seam and black wattle, 

 cere, and skin, I consider sufficient distinctive peculiarities 

 to give them a place among fancy pigeons as a separate 

 variety." 



About the year 1868, Mr. Boyd, of Edinburgh, brought 

 home with him, from Constantinople, a pair of Mahomets. 

 They became the property of Mr. James Wallace, of Glasgow, 

 who showed them there, in 1869, as Damascenes. The hen 

 lived but a short time, and the cock came into my possession 

 in 1878 ; but he was then past breeding, and shortly after- 

 wards met his death from an accident. In 1883, several pairs 



