336 A HISTORY OF BIRDS 



this series of forms several extremely well-marked types are to 

 be found, such, for example, as the Carrier, Homing, Turbit, 

 Tumbler, Runt, Fan-tail, Barb, Trumpeter and Pouter. The 

 several peculiarities of these may be gathered from the accom- 

 panying illustration. '* 



As to the precise origin of these nothing is known, but some 

 are of considerable antiquity. When the earliest known de- 

 scriptions of the more ancient breeds are compared with the 

 standard types of these breeds to-day, it will be found that 

 great changes have taken place in their appearance ; changes 

 determined by the selective action of the breeders, as they en- 

 deavoured to accentuate the several peculiarities of each breed. 



The Pouter seems to have been a well-established breed so 

 far back as 1600, and has changed comparatively little since 

 that time till now, a greater length of leg, and a more heavily 

 feathered foot being the most conspicuous differences. The 

 Fan-tail and the Jacobin Pigeons can show a. similar lengthy 

 pedigree, both breeds dating back to before 1600. During the 

 centuries that have elapsed the peculiar carriage of the Fan-tail 

 has been brought into being, and the number of the tail feathers 

 increased ; while in the Jacobin the peculiar hood of reversed 

 feathers has been greatly augmented. 



These changes, we may repeat, have been brought about by 

 selective breeding. That is to say, the breeders have selected 

 from their stock, for mating, those which gave most promise of 

 reproducing and exaggerating the peculiarities distinctive of 

 their race, while such of their offspring as came short of this 

 were destroyed. By this method some very wonderful results 

 have been attained. Thus in the Barb and Carrier Pigeons the 

 size of the swollen areas of soft, bare skin around the eyes and 

 beak have always been important features ; and in each suc- 

 ceeding generation an endeavour has been made to increase 

 these with what result may be seen by a comparison of the 

 heads of the wild ancestor — the Rock-dove — with that of a 

 modern prize-winning Carrier. Similarly, in the short-faced 

 Tumbler, shortness of beak was the desired character; and as a 

 consequence of long-continued selection wherein only those 

 with the shortest beaks were bred from, the beak has been re- 

 duced to such an extent that individuals are occasionally 

 hatched whose beaks prove too short to make feeding possible ! 



