Chap. V. SINGULAR VARIATIONS. 169 



at tlie Philoperisteron Soc. I bred a mongrel pigeon which had 

 fibrous feathers, and the wing and tail-feathers so short and imper- 

 fect that the bird could not fly even a foot in height. 



There are many singular and inherited peculiarities in the 

 plumage of pigeons : thus Almond-Tumblers do not acquire 

 their perfect mottled feathers until they have moulted three 

 or four times: the Kite Tumbler is at first brindled black 

 and red with a barred appearance, but when " it throws its 

 nest feathers it becomes almost black, generally with a bluish 

 tail, and a reddish colour on the inner webs of the primary 

 wing-feathers." 29 Neumeister describes a breed of a black 

 colour with white bars on the wing and a white crescent- 

 shajDed 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 

 Fan tail, 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 Eunts, 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 



29 ' The Pigeon Book,' by Mr. B. P. 31 < A Treatise on the Almond -Turn. 

 Brent, 1859, p. 41. bier, by J. M. Eaton, 1852, p. 8, et 



30 ' Die eiaarhalsige Taube. Das passim. 

 Gauze, &c.,' s. 21, tab. i. fig. 4. 



