21 



ing in them either no account at all, or else a very imperfect and super- 

 ficial one, which for want of a due opportunity to examine the bird they 

 were describing, they have generally taken up at random and upon credit ; 

 I thought it in some measure incumbent upon me to attempt a natural 

 history of this kind, partly as having in my own house most of the sorts 

 to be described, and partly to provoke other gentlemen who have more 

 skill and ability, to rescue this part of the history of animals from that 

 obscurity it has so long laboured under. 



19. — In order therefore to render this treatise, (which has been so long 

 due from one part of my countrymen, I mean the naturalists, and so long 

 desired by another) as compleat as possible, I shall divide this book into 

 two parts ; in the first I shall treat of the method of keeping, breeding, 

 and preserving of Pigeons, and in the second I shall give an account of 

 the different sorts, endeavouring to clear up all obscurities, and render the 

 knowledge and distinction of the several species facile to all those, who 



When the idea first took possession of Mr. Moore's mind, to attempt a Natural 

 History of Pigeons, it appears to me, the wand of the enchanter was over and guided 

 him. It was a luckey thought for the Gentlemen of the Fancy, a fortunate thing no 

 one else had attempted it prior, otherwise it might not have been half so well executed, 

 and have been the means of preventing Mr. Moore writing upon the subject, which he 

 executed with such masterly skiU, the loss of which would have been a loss indeed. 

 Do not for a moment suppose I am so vain, puffed-up, or conceited, as having more 

 skiU and ability than other Fanciers, the great fact is, the only thing that urges me on 

 to write is " I have the will, others the abihty, not the will," and my great desire is to 

 lay before the young Fancier such a mass of information as never appeared before on 

 Pigeons, besides handing down to posterity Mr. Moore's original Work, word for 

 word, from which aU other Works are taken, except some Toys and Foreign Pigeons, 

 for which we are greatly indebted to Mr. B. P. Brent, which you wiU read by and 

 bye. 



19. (Eaton.) — Mr. Moore observes in this Paragraph, "in order therefore to 

 render this Treatise, which has been so long due from one part of my countrymen, I 

 mean the Naturalists, and so long desired by another," (alluding to the Pigeon Fancier, 

 although he does not exactly say so in his Work, which from beginning to end, ia 

 entirely written and confined to the Pigeon Fancier ) Mr. M. cannot help thinking 

 that the Naturalists had greatly slighted the Gentlemen of the Pigeon Fancy. Could 

 a Naturalist have written upon a subject unless he was a Pigeon Fancier ? It is pos- 

 sible a Naturalist might compile and write upon a thousand difierent animals and birds 

 for the general reading of the millions, as lions, tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, camels, 

 dromedaries, camelopards, &c. ; or birds, the eagle, ostrich, or the titlark, and Cochin 

 China fowls, &c. &c. I am not aware that Naturalists have raised a standard, or 

 how many properties constitutes the standard, as laid down to test the lion or tiger 

 by, &c. ; this may arise simply from the want of pluck on the part of the Naturalists 

 not going into their dens, examining their properties or points, for fear of catching 

 cold. Gentlemen who delight in the song of birds, and who understand their song, as 

 laid down by Bird Fanciers, have as much right bitterly to complain as Mr, Moore, 

 that the Naturalists had entirely overlooked them, and had not given any aecount of 

 the execution song birds execute ; imagine to yourself, a match made by two Bird 

 Fanciers, each, supposing they had the best titlark between wood and wire, to sing a 

 match for half an hour, as a matter of course the bird performing the most execution 

 would win ; would it be right and fitting to appoint a Naturalist to keep score 

 unless he was a good Bird Fancier, understood their song, such as weeting, 

 chouing, fearing, whisking, laughing, rattling, and their objectionable song, such as 

 snuflEling, shiting, &c. ? I tell you plainly it is the office of the Bird Fancier ; hovf 

 frequently do you hear persons say sweet, sweet, pretty dick ; supposing the bird to 



