Chap..V. SINGULAR VARIATIONS. 161 



meister describes a breed of a black colour with white bars on 

 the wing and a white crescent-shaped mark on the breast ; these 

 marks are generally rusty-red before the first moult, but after the 

 third or fourth moult they undergo a change ; the wing-feathers 

 and the crown of the head likewise then become white or grey. 30 



It is an important fact, and I believe there is hardly an 

 exception to the rule, that the especial characters for which each 

 breed is valued are eminently variable : thus, in the Fantail, 

 the number and direction of the tail-feathers, the carriage of the 

 body, and the degree of trembling are all highly variable points ; 

 in Pouters, the degree to which they pout, and the shape of 

 their inflated crops ; in the Carrier, the length, narrowness, and 

 curvature of the beak, and the amount of wattle ; in Short- 

 faced Tumblers, the shortness of the beak, the prominence of the 

 forehead, and general carriage, 31 and in the Almond Tumbler 

 the colour of the plumage ; in common Tumblers, the manner 

 of tumbling ; in the Barb, the breadth and shortness of the beak 

 and the amount of eye-wattle ; in Runts, the size of body ; in 

 Turbits, the frill ; and lastly in Trumpeters, the cooing, as well 

 as the size of the tuft of feathers over the nostrils. These 

 which are the distinctive and selected characters of the several 

 breeds, are all eminently variable. 



There is another interesting fact with respect to the character 

 of the different breeds, namely, that they are often most strongly 

 displayed in the male bird. In Carriers, when the males and 

 females are exhibited in separate pens, the wattle is plainly 

 seen to be much more developed in the males, though I have 

 seen a hen Carrier belonging to Mr. Haynes heavily wattled. 

 Mr. Tegetmeier informs me that, in twenty Barbs in Mr. P. H. 

 Jones's possession, the males had generally the largest eye- 

 wattles; Mr. Esquilant also believes in this rule but Mr. H. 

 Weir, a first-rate judge, entertains some doubt on the subject. 

 Male Pouters distend their crops to a much greater size than do 

 the females; I have, however, seen a hen in the possession of 

 Mr. Evans which pouted excellently; but this is an unusual cir- 

 cumstance. Mr. Harrison Weir, a successful breeder of prize 



3° 'Die Staarhalsige Taube. Das bier,' by J. M Eaton 19*52 n ft * 

 Ganze, &c.,' s. 21, tab. i. fig. 4. passim> t0n ' 18 ° 2 ' P- 8 ' et 



31 ' A Treatise on the Almond Tum- 



VOL. I. 



M 



