Foreign Wattled Pigeons. 273 



shown in the aforesaid drawing by Mr. Ludlow, which may be described 

 as exactly the same as that of the magpie pigeon, except that the head 

 and upper neck are white. Prom low down on the nape, the white runs 

 down the sides of the neck to a point on the breast, forming a pointed 

 bib. There are also others, coloured, in addition, on lower body from 

 breast to tail, including the thighs ; the head and bib, wing coverts and 

 flights, remaining white. The back must always remain coloured, as in 

 the magpie, and forms the figure of a heart, and is known as " the 

 heart." Others, again, are all coloured except the head, upper neck and 

 bib, flight feathers, and butts of the wings, as in the stork pigeon. The 

 quality of colour in this variety is sometimes superb, and I believe it 

 has been made use of in this country to improve colour in red and yellow 

 dragoons. 



" Its flight is powerful, quick, and more stormy than dexterous ; its 

 voice abrupt and deep. Towards smaller pigeons it is violent, and there- 

 fore not suited to live with them, and is best kept alone. It shows 

 mistrust to men, and only gradually becomes accustomed to its feeder.' ' 

 This wild nature is common to all the carrier race and their descendants. 



The Simalayan Carrier. — "When writing about Indian pigeons, I men- 

 tioned some gentlemen named Wood, whom I knew in Calcutta, as 

 enthusiastic pigeon fanciers. There were four brothers of them who 

 bred choice pigeons, and their father had done so before them. The 

 eldest brother had the largest and best collection I knew of in Calcutta, 

 excepting that which belonged to the ex-King of Oude. It was in Mr. 

 Wood' s aviaries I first saw the variety which I have named as above, 

 the native name of which I have forgotten, if I ever heard it. This 

 pigeon is about the size of an average dragoon. It is very hard and 

 close feathered, upright in carriage, thin in neck, moderately long in 

 neck and Umba, and iaclined to be short in flights and tail. It is short 

 in face, measuring about Ifin. from centre of eye. The beak is stoat 

 and thick at the base, rather sharp than blunt at the point, and straight. 

 The head is angular or wedge-shaped, the brow forming an angle with 

 the crown and beak. It has a smooth beak-wattle, of moderate amount, 

 which never grows quite so large as that considered necessary for a 

 show dragoon. The striking point about this pigeon is its staring or 

 bolting eyes, which stand more out of its head than I have ever seen 

 in other pigeons. They are mostly hazel-coloured, large, bright, and 



T 



