BY WILLIAM G. BARTON. 75 



good, is a most beautiful bird. Its distinguishing feature 

 is an ample hood of colored feathers closely curving over 

 its pretty white head. 



The Trumpeter has a "shell" crest, a strange tuft of 

 feathers at the base of the upper mandible, and very heav- 

 ily feathered legs. He is named for his remarkable, long- 

 continued, very amusing coo. 



The Runt is the largest variety. It is bred solely for 

 size. They weigh, per pair, between four and five pounds, 

 and a single runt has weighed two pounds nine ounces. 



The pigeons which are usually called "Toy Pigeons," 

 are mostly of German origin. Most of them are in- 

 cluded in the following list. It should be remembered 

 that of many of these, there are several sub-varieties of 

 differing colors : Magpie, Nun, Spot, White-spot, Hel- 

 met, Swallow or Tern, Fairy, Priest, Brunswick, Starling, 

 Swiss or Crescent, Shield, Letz, Archangel, Ice, Fire, 

 Suabian, Hyacinth, Porcelain, Victoria, Frill-back, Stork, 

 Black-backed Gull. 



The following varieties are Oriental : Swift, Lahore or 

 Martin, Burmese or Florentine, Scandaroon, Damascene, 

 Capuchin, Mookee, Goolee, Sherajee. 



The Homing Pigeon, or the "carrier pigeon" of literature, 

 must be distinguished from the carrier of the fancy. 

 Pigeons have undoubtedly been used for many centuries 

 to carry messages, and they are still used for that purpose ; 

 but at present, where one is used for carrying a message, 

 thousands are flown in matches for a trial of speed. In 

 considering them, it should be remembered that they fly 

 only to their loft, being influenced solely by their desire 

 to get home, and that they accomplish long distances only 

 after a prolonged course of training. In the opinion of 

 most persons who have carefully weighed the facts, their 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XVI. 5* 



