98 TRUMPETERS. WHY SO CALLED. [CHAP. iv. 



parent. Which was male and which female I am unable 

 to state. It was, however, larger than ordinary-sized 

 Pigeons. 



" The TRUMPETER," says the Treatise, " is a bird 

 much about the size of a Laugher (some sort of Runt ?), 

 and very runtishly made ; they are generally pearl-ey'd, 

 black-mottled, very feather-footed and leg' d, turn-crown'd 

 like the Nun, and sometimes like a Finnikin, but much 

 larger, which are reckoned the better sort, as being more 

 melodious ; but the best characteristic to know them, is 

 a tuft of feathers growing at the root of the beak ; and 

 the larger this tuft is, the more they are esteemed : the 

 reason of their name is from their imitating the sound 

 of a trumpet after playing ; the more salacious they are, 

 the more they will trumpet ; therefore, if you have a 

 mind to be often entertained with their melody, you 

 must give them plenty of hemp-seed, otherwise they will 

 seldom trumpet much, except in the spring, when they 

 are naturally more salacious than usual." 



It seems more probable that the Trumpeter took its name 

 from its military air : the helmet-like turn of feathers 

 at the back of the head, the booted legs, and the fierce 

 moustache at the base of the bill, give it quite a soldier- 

 like appearance. I have not heard much in their " trum- 

 petings " that differs greatly from the cooing of other 

 Hunts (for such they may be considered to be): perhaps 

 the inspiration at the end of the coo may be a little 

 more sonorous. But Pliny's description (lib. x. 52) is 

 applicable to all domestic Pigeons. " In all, the song, 

 similar and the same, is completed in a trine verse, be- 

 sides a groaning conclusion. In winter they are mute, 

 in spring vocal." A well-grown moustache is the point 



