TRAINING PIGEONS IN THE EAST. 211 



worldly manners and customs, as to roll and dance about ; and 

 Akbar used to witness the feats of his Pigeons with no other 

 object in view than to derive, therefrom the pleasures of 

 theosophy. He considered their turnings in the air in the same 

 light as those of fortune, i. e., their rising and falling in the air, 

 their turning from one side to the other, and other feats of 

 strength reminded him of the revolutions of time and the 

 vicissitudes of life. A Pigeon's wheeling round in the air is 

 called Tava Kama, and its turning head over heels is termed 

 Bazl, which is an attribute of a Kabuli Pigeon, which, without 

 any aid of instruction, naturally performs a few Baz'i in the air, 

 and is hence sometimes called Tumbler.* Abul Fazl says that 

 the Emperor gave his chief attention to this diversion, and these 

 birds have ever since been held in high esteem. The kings of 

 Persia and Turkestan sent many as presents to the Emperor 

 Akbar, and merchants also brought numerous saths or lots 

 from distant countries. I say that several kinds hitherto 

 generally known have derived their names from the places they 

 came from, as Basri, Mukhi (vulgarly called Mukhi), Sherazi, 

 Nesapuri (generally called Nisavra). When Nesapur fell into 

 the hands of the Arabs they called it Nesaboor, and the Hindoos 

 corrupted the term into Nesavra. 



Abul Fazl says that Akbar took to this diversion when he 

 was very young, and when he grew up in years and understanding 

 he renounced and gave up the pursuit for some time ; but when 

 reason dawned he resumed, with ardour and eagerness, his 

 favourite diversion of Pigeon-flying, and, having procured a 

 skilful Sabz Pigeon from Khan Azam Kokultash, put him at the 

 head of all Pigeons, and gave him the name of Molina, so highly 

 celebrated in the world. Sabz Pigeon evidently means a Pigeon 

 with greenish-coloured feathers, but at the present day it comprises 

 the following kinds, Sabza, Nlla, Bhura, Kheira, Bulra, Ghagra, 

 Nufta, &c. It would be inaccurate, however, to call Sabz Jogya 

 a Sabya, for its proper name is Rangeen. Balra Kheira is also 

 Sabya, provided it is not Tira, which has some white feathers in 

 the tail. If it has no white feathers in the tail it is surely Sabya. 



Syad Kokultash Khan, from whom the celebrated Pigeon 



* The turnings of his Pigeons reminded the Emperor of the ups and 

 downs of fortune, and elicited his praise of the Almighty. 



