128 Fancy Pigeons. 



they would not, any more than many among us, ever consider the cruelty 

 there is in shaping the heads of tender pigeons. 



The upper mandible of the Gooleo is coloured, the lower white, but 

 reds and yellows have generally light beaks. The marking of the head 

 and neck is the same as in the Sherajee, The irides are usually dark, 

 but a white or orange iris would, I think, be more pleasing. The tail, 

 with its coverts, is also coloured. This marking is found in all solid 

 colours, and when the colours arc rich and lustrous, as they often are, 

 the ej'o ceres and corners of the mouth are of a decidedly reddish hue. 

 The rest of the plumage is all white, except in a rarer variety, known as 

 the mottled Goolee. The mottled variety, to be right, must have a rose- 

 pinion of coloured feathers on the wing coverts : when this rose-pinion 

 is composed of well Boparated feathers, the effect is very pleasing. Some 

 of the mottled Goolees are of three colours, such as dark dun on head, 

 neck, and tail, yellow mottled shoulders, and white ground. I have seen 

 them of this rare combination of colours, and I believe other three 

 coloured varieties exist, such as black marked ones, with red mottled 

 shoulders. The Goolee is clean legged, walks on tip-toe when proud, 

 trails its wings, and has the carriage of a good almond tumbler. There 

 arc in Bengal as many degrees in quality in this variety as there are 

 here between the best short-faces and common flying tumblers. The 

 choicest birds can only be seen in the i^ossession of experienced breeders, 

 and are never offered for sale in the bazaars. The Gooleo shares with 

 the Sherajee the position of chief favourite among Calcutta pigeon fanciers, 

 some preferring the former, others the latter. Pine specimens of both 

 kinds fetch long prices. 



CHAPTER L. 



THE CORAL-EYED PIGEON. 



The Coral eye is a variety of the domestic pigeon well known in Bengal. 

 I have seen these birds in the possession of different fanciers in Calcutta, 

 among whom they went by the above name; and I believe their Hindos- 

 tauee designation has the same meaning. In size and shape the coral eye 



