72 MR. R. STAPLES-BROWNE ON [Feb. 18, 



bird was bred from blacks only for five or six generations. In 

 the F. 2 generation from this bird crossed with a white Fantail 

 red birds were obtained, and it is quite possible that this colour 

 figured in the ancestry of the Barb 5 , as breeders are in the 

 habit of crossing blacks with reds in order to obtain white beaks 

 on the blacks. Barb c? , No. 100, used in Exp. 27, was obtained 

 from Mr. Edwards of Exeter. This bird is believed to have been 

 bred from blacks for four genei-ations, but in the preceding- 

 generation a dun 5 was used. It will be noticed that in Exp. 27, 

 a dun was produced. 



The Fantail Pigeon. (Trembleur.) 



This variety is well-known on account of the large number of 

 its tail-feathers ; specimens having as many as 42 tail-feathers 

 having been observed. This character has been noted in the 

 crosses, and further experiments are still in progress. It is 

 intended that this should be dealt with later in a separate 

 communication. By far the largest number of Fantails are white, 

 and only white birds have been used in these matings. Blue and 

 silver Fantails, both having wing- and tail-bars, are bred by 

 fanciers, as well as self-coloured blacks, reds, yellows, and duns. 

 There are further certain birds possessing well-defined patterns of 

 which the "saddle-back" is the best known. 



It is stated by breeders that deep rich blacks are difiicult to 

 obtain, owing, no doubt, to the frequent crossing with blues. 

 The irides of the white birds are black, those of the coloured 

 birds either white or orange. The whites have also white beaks 

 and claws, and Hesh-coloured ceres or eye- wattles. The Fantail 

 exhibits a curious jerking or twitching movement of the neck ; 

 this habit has been noticed in certain of the crossbreds, but no 

 attempt has been made to trace it through the successive 

 generations. Dui-ing the experiments a small strain of white 

 Fantails was kept, the original birds being obtained as 

 follows : — 



From Mr. J. Harrison of Belper, Derbyshire, a judge of pigeons 

 and breeder of several varieties, 1 5 and 1 (^ • 



From Mr. J, Lee of Ilford, Essex, 4 $ 's and 1 S • 



From the late Mr. J. F. Loversidge of Newark, 1 S • 



From Mr. W. Stevenson of Beith, N.B., 1 S • The three latter 

 gentlemen are well-known breeders of Fantails. 



From the various matings of these birds twelve Fantails used 

 in the crosses were raised. The appended pedigree, in wdiich the 

 birds used are numbered and underlined, shows their mutual 

 relationships. Lee $ 7 was peculiar in the fact that at the 

 moult following its purchase a black tail-feather made its appear- 

 ance. At the various successive moults the replacing feather in 

 that position was always black. Although several white Fantails 

 were bred in this strain no bird was produced showing any colour 

 in the plumage. The colours of the irides, beaks, claws, and eye- 

 wattles were also observed to breed true. 



