210 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



turn in the air, and then coming back immediately, is at the 

 present time termed tatva. 



Abul Fazl says that a Pigeon has ten flight-feathers, and that 

 when eight of these drop out, the Kabutarbaz, or Pigeon-keeper, 

 ceases to let it fly, and this is called suladena. I say that the 

 number of primary feathers in each wing is ten, and in the tail 

 twelve. But two kinds of Pigeons have more than twelve feathers 

 in the tail ; Nisavra has from thirty-two to forty-two tail-feathers, 

 and Khal Vilaite — a very beautiful little Pigeon brought from 

 Persia and Asiatic Tui'key — has from sixteen to thirty-two. The 

 colour of a Kbal is either yellow, black, red, kasni, green or 

 amiri — the last colour being a mixture of kasni and green. If a 

 Kbal has only ten feathers in the tail it is undoubtedly a mongrel. 

 Shirazi and Mukhi have the same number of feathers as the 

 Indian Pigeons, of which Laka is the only kind that has from 

 twenty-four to forty-two. A Laka having less than twenty-four 

 is considered degenerate, one or other of the parents being a 

 Nisavra. A Laka of coloured kind and black, kasni-sabz, are very 

 scarce. White Laka may be found everywhere. A Laka is 

 famous for its strutting movements. It stalks like a champion. 



Abul Fazl says that when eight of the ten flight-feathers are 

 moulted the Pigeons are stopped from flying. I say that these 

 ten feathers enable them to fly, and are hence called shahpur. 

 They are prevented from flying because otherwise the remaining 

 two feathers will bleed, and become weak through overwork. In 

 Akbar's time [the moult] was called suladeena, but now-a-days is 

 called bithava and kureez, which begins in June and lasts till 

 November. In the summer season the Pigeons are free — i. e. they 

 neither let them fly nor make them exercise any feats at all. 

 From May to October they are kept in koreez, and from February 

 to April the two large shahpurs, called also kundi-ki-par, make 

 their appearance. The young Pigeons are taught to fly in the 

 summer, but from July to October they have again to remain in 

 koreez, and will only come out with the big ones. Abul Fazl says 

 that within two months they get new feathers and a good deal of 

 strength and renew their flights, and their skilfulness at what is 

 termed bazi. As soon as they have learned how to wheel round 

 in the air and perform other feats they are brought before the 

 Emperor; but for the development of these attainments we have 

 to wait four months more. When the Pigeons fly with eagerness, 



