168 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



especially as in all probability Blochmann's translation of tbe 

 Ain i Akbari (roy. 8vo, Calcutta, 1873) will not be accessible to 

 the majority of our readers.* The two together afford a curious 

 insight into the mode adopted in the East of rearing and training 

 Pigeons, and especially the way in which they are taught at wox*d 

 of command, or whistle, to perform certain evolutions in the air, 

 some of which are vex*y remarkable, and quite unattempted (so 

 far as we are aware) in this country. We have only once seen 

 anything approaching to an exhibition of this kind in England. 

 Maxxy years ago, in London, we came across an itinerant owner 

 of a dozen Pigeons, who carried thexn acx'oss his shoulders in a 

 narrow oblong square cage, slung froxn a bundle of proj:>s, which 

 when properly adjusted formed a support for the cage. His 

 performance was unique of the kind. Opening the door of the 

 cage, he put a long post-horn to his lips, when the Pigeons, 

 issuing forth one by one, ranged theixiselves in close order along 

 the horn, all facing in the same direction. A blast from tbe 

 horn, and they all took wing simultaneously, dashing up the 

 street and over the housetops, being ixxomentarily lost to view. 

 On a second blast from the horn, back they came, helter-skelter, 

 pitching one after another on the horn, and after being rewarded 

 each with a few grains of wheat, stepped quietly back into their 

 cage, and their owner, after sending round his hat for con- 

 tributions, departed to x*epeat the pex*formance elsewhex'e. From 

 what we then saw of, and have since read about, the aerial evolu- 

 tions of Indian and Persian Pigeons at word of command, we have 

 sometimes wondered why Pigeon-fanciers in England have not 

 bestowed attention upon what may evidently be made a very 

 charming pastime. It will be seen from what follows that, 

 in this respect, the Eastern Pigeon-fanciers are far in advance 

 of us. If some of the remarks of Abul Fazl or his commentator 

 appear now and then a little tedious, allowance must be made for 

 the style of Easteni composition, so diffex-ent to our own, and for 

 the fact that, as the work of the former writer is little known 

 and that of the latter unpublished, it is thought better to print 

 them in their entirety, rather than to make selections which xxiight 

 xxot be generally acceptable. 



* Another translation of this work by Francis Gladwin, dedicated to 

 Warren Hastings, was published in 4to, Calcutta, 1788. 



