137 



but being of a delicate constitution and impatient of cold, it seldom long survives in 

 humid and comparatively chill atmosphere of Holland. In consequence, all attempts 

 to propagate or render it available in the poultry-yard have hitherto failed, which is 

 greatly to be regretted, not more on account of its external beauty, than for its ex- 

 cellent flavour as a wholesome and nutritious food. 



In size it exceeds all the other Columbine species, being from twenty-seven to twenty- 

 eight inches in extreme length. The bill, which is two inches long, is black ; the tips 

 of the manibles thickened, and that of the upper one moderately deflected. The head 

 is adorned with a large, elevated, semicircular and compressed crest, composed 

 of narrow straight feathers, furnished with disunited silky barbules, and always 

 carried erect. This, as well as the head, the neck, and all the inferior parts of the body, 

 are of a pure greyish-blue colour. The back, the scapulars, and smaller wing-coverts, 

 have the feathers black at the base, the tips terminated with rich purplish-brown. The 

 greater coverts are of the same colour, but with a broad central bar of white, which 

 forms a conspicuous transverse band across the closed wings. The quills and tail are 

 of a deep grey, the latter having all the feathers terminated with a greyish-blue. The 

 legs are grey ; the tarsi, three inches and a quarter in length, are covered with rounded 

 scales not closely set, but showing a whitish margin of bare skin around each. The 

 toes are strong and rather short, the scales disposed as in the Typical Pigeons. 



(Eaton.) — At the sale of the late Eai-l of Derby, at Knowsley, 1851, lot 461 was 

 five of these Crowned Pigeons. I have seen them ; they are very handsome ; they do 

 not appear to have bred at Knowsley, or any place I am aware of in this country. We 

 consider the Runt the heaviest Pigeon we have ; as far as I can recollect of the 

 Crowned Pigeons, they are as large as some fowls. I have enquired the weight of 

 them, but, unfortunately, have not received an answer ; they are considerably heavier 

 than any Runts, and exceedingly handsome. 



(Eaton.) — Since writing the last paragraph, and it being in the hands of the printer, 

 prior to his sending me the sheet to correct, I was in company with my brother Fan- 

 cier, M. Corker ; we had to pass through Leadenhall Market, made up our minds to 

 call on Mr. Castang, "for Auld Lang Syne," as a matter of course, over which Fan- 

 ciers have no control, the Fancy was uppermost, talking of the greatest weight of 

 Runts, the idea came into my head of the great Crown Pigeon (I saw, I believe, at the 

 Baker Street Bazaar, Poultry and Pigeon Show), I asked Mr. Corker and Mr. 

 Carstang if they could give me the weight of the great Crowned Pigeon, I mentioned 

 five were sold at the sale of the late spirited Fancier the Earl of Derby. Mr. Castang 

 went into his counting-house and brought out the catalogue, I referred him to lot 461, 

 he was at the sale, I could not go, it was arranged at the sale to divide the birds, one 

 lot a pair sold for twenty-pounds, the lot of three sold for thirty-pounds, to return to 

 the weight of a pair of these birds, Mr. Castang said ; to the best of his recollection, 

 they were the size of middling turkeys, he thought they would weigh about sixteen 

 pounds per pair, Mr. Corker said he thought about fourteen pounds the pair ; Mr. 

 Wolstenholme, the artist who engraved the bird, is of opinion that it is a large and heavy 

 bird, I was afraid, in the above paragraph, to give you any weight, fearful I was out in 

 my judgment, besides startling you as being outrageous, I wrote to the party who ex- 

 hibited the pair as touching the weight, have not received an answer, the price put on 

 them startled me, it was a reserved price, "VYhen I looked at and admired these birds, 

 it was the last of my thoughts I should ever attempt to write on them, otherwise I 

 would have been prepared to have given you their accurate weight, I will not go so 

 far as Mr. Castang, sixteen pounds, or Mr. Corker, fourteen pounds ; I agree with 

 our brother Fancier, Mr. Wolstenholme, they are large and heavy birds, I think about 

 twelve pounds per pair nearer their weight, at the same time these three Fanciers may 

 be right and I wrong, now, admitting we could procure a pair of Leghorn or Spanish 

 Runts, weighing five pounds avoirdupois weight, eighty ounces a rare pair of birds, what 

 are they in weight compared to a pair of the great crowned Pigeons. 



