28 LOCAL OBSERVATION 



" September 6tA, 1891. 



" With regard to the hybridisation of pigeons. I 

 received last spring, from a neighbouring parson, a bird 

 that I believe to be one of the persuasion known as 

 ' Antwerp carriers.' It was caught, unable to fly, near 

 his house, and he, thinking it might have escaped hence, 

 let me know about it, and eventually sent it over to me 

 as a present. It has a metal ring round one leg, with a 

 date, letter and number. After a few days I put this 

 bird into the aviary with the Bolle's, the laurel and 

 trocaz,* besides a male stockdove. This latter has paired 

 with the carrier, and they are now taking turn and turn 

 about on two eggs. I am very curious to see what the 

 produce, if there is any, will be like. They have been 

 sitting about six days." 



"January i3/$, 1893. 



" Are you quite satisfied that some of the birds 

 imported by Mr. H - did actually come direct to him 

 from Asiatic Turkey ? In the only district in Albania in 

 which we found pheasants, their chief diet consisted" 5 of 

 acorns, Indian corn, hips, privet berries, and of course 

 insect food. 



" The variety, not only in size and weight but also 

 in markings and in habits, between grey partridges from 

 different parts even of our own islands, is indeed most 



1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 



* Pigeons : Columba botlit, C. laurivora and C. trocaz (see later). 



