The Capuchin. 129 



pigeon resembles a strong English owl pigeon, but its head and beak 

 are more of the common type, the latter not long and spindly, but of 

 moderate length and thickness. It is neither turn crowned nor feather- 

 legged, and always, as far as I have seen, whole coloured bine, with the 

 usual black wing bars. What constitutes this pigeon of pure and dis- 

 tinct race is the colour of its irides, which are large in size, and bolt- 

 ing like the choice African owl. In colour they are of a vivid ruby red, 

 of the hue known among jewel merchants as *' pigeon's blood." I have 

 seen nothing nearly approaching them in any other breed of pigeon, 

 for they are like big beads of living fire sparkling in the head of the 

 bird, and bo pronounced that they tell at the distance of several yards. 

 This pigeon breeds true, but loses all value if crossed with another 

 variety. It is an instance of the manifold variations that exist in that 

 universal favourite the domestic pigeon. I once described this pigeon in 

 the Journal of Horticulture some years ago, before which I am not aware 

 that it was ever mentioned in this country. 



CHAPTER LI. 



THE CAPUCHIN PIGEON. 



A PIGEON under this name was described by Moore, who says that it 

 is in shape and make very like the jacobin, but something larger in 

 body, longer in beak, with a tolerable hood, but no chain, though in 

 feather and other properties the same. He says, " Some wiU assert it to 

 be a distinct Species, but I am more inclinable to imagiae it is only a 

 bastard breed from a Jacobine and another Pigeon ; however thus far I 

 am sure, that a Jack and another will breed a Bird so like it, as will 

 puzzle the Authors of this Assertion to distinguish it, from what they 

 call their separate Species." 



Eemembering what Moore has said of the Mahomet and narrow-tailed 

 shaker, I doubt if his half-bred jacobin was really what some fanciers 

 asserted to be the true Capuchin. Moore evidently knew the motto, 

 viam axd inveniam aut faciam, and it puzzles me to hear of any fancier 



K 



