iv VARIATION UNDER DOMESTICATION 91 



Race II. Carriers. — These are large, long-necked birds, 

 with a long pointed beak, and the eyes surrounded with a 

 naked carunculated skin or wattle, which is also largely 

 developed at the base of the beak. The opening of the 

 mouth is unusually wide. There are several sub -races, one 

 being called Dragons. 



Race III. Bunts. — These are very large-bodied, long-beaked 

 pigeons, with naked skin round the eyes. The wings are 

 usually very long, the legs long, and the feet large, and the 

 skin of the neck is often red. There are several sub-races, 

 and these differ very much, forming a series of links between 

 the wild rock-pigeon and the carrier. 



Race IV. Barbs. — These are remarkable for their very 

 short and thick beak, so unlike that of most pigeons that 

 fanciers compare it with that of a bullfinch. They have also 

 a naked carunculated skin round the eyes, and the skin over 

 the nostrils swollen. 



Race V. Fantails. — Short-bodied and rather small-beaked 

 pigeons, with an enormously developed tail, consisting usually 

 of from fourteen to forty feathers instead of twelve, the 

 regular number in all other pigeons, wild and tame. The 

 tail spreads out like a fan and is usually carried erect, and 

 the bird bends back its slender neck, so that in highly -bred 

 varieties the head touches the tail. The feet are small, and 

 they walk stiffly. 



Race VI. Turbits and Owls. — These are characterised by 

 the feathers of the middle of neck and breast in front 

 spreading out irregularly so as to form a frill. The Turbits 

 also have a crest on the head, and both have the beak 

 exceedingly short, 



Race VII. Tumblers. — These have a small body and short 

 beak, but they are specially distinguished by the singular 

 habit of tumbling over backwards during flight. One of the 

 sub -races, the Indian Lotan or Ground tumbler, if slightly 

 shaken and placed on the ground, will immediately begin 

 tumbling head over heels until taken up and soothed. If not 

 taken up, some of them will go on tumbling till they die. 



