CHAPTER LX. 



THE TRUMPETER PIGEON. 



The trumpeter pig-eon has been known in this country at least since 

 Moore's time, and it ia common on the Continent of Enrope. In Franco 

 it is called the 'pigeon iamhour gloxi-gloxi-, and in Germany, the trommel- 

 tauhe, or drummer. Its various names are therefore all derived from its 

 voice, which, not being" reckoned of any consequence in the show pen, 

 may be left unnoticed till I describe the form and feather of this wonder- 

 ful pigeon. Until soon after the year 1865, when some very high class 

 trumpeters were imported into this country, the breed appears to have 

 remained almost stationary since Moore described it. The earliest picture 

 of a trumpeter I know of, is that in the treatise of 1705, which, indeed, 

 represents a vcr}"^ poor black mottle, with black flights and tail, and white 

 body, over which is sprinkled about thirty-five black feathers. It has 

 black thighs and le^ feathering, but is bare toed. The author, who 

 copied his description of the breed from Moore, says, " they are generally 

 pearl-eyed, black mottled, very feather-footed and legged, turn crowned 

 like the nun, and sometimes like a finnikin, but much larger, which are 

 reckoned the better sort as being more melodious." 



It would be of no advantage to minutely describe the trumpeter as we 

 had it before 1865, because the central Asian breed, which was imported 

 shortly after that date, put it entirely into the shade. The best we used to 

 have were blacks, black mottles, and whites ; though duns, reds, and 

 yellows were occasionally to be met with, and I once bred a very good blue 

 mottle. The new breed coming here via- Russia received the name of 

 Euseian trumpeter, which is what the Germans call such birds as we 

 formerly had, because they are found in their greatest beauty in the 

 neighbourhood of Moscow. The new trumpeter is, however, not a 

 native of Russia, but of Bokhara in Central Asia, and its appearance in 



