128 PIGEONS. 



succession. This is clone in a line right ahead, turning over clean once in every 

 five or six yards. I bred one white cock that turned forty-five times in a minute, 

 and would keep it up for several minutes in succession, but could not fly long at 

 a time ; while other Rollers will spin in the ah like a ball or a wheel, falling all 

 the time they roll ; but such are very apt to injure, if not kill themselves, by 

 rolling to the ground or striking against some hard substance. 



" To witness the performance of Air Tumblers in perfection, one must see 

 them on the wing, though, from their excessive tumbling, they do not fly much. 

 There is a difference in the performance of young ones, even from the best breeds ; 

 now and then one will roll, but, as a rule, each tumble or turn over is done clear 

 and distinct, without dropping or falling from their onward course. Some that 

 do not tumble much will fly for an hour, and tumble very nicely by fits and 

 starts, from seven to twenty times in a minute ; others continue to progress in 

 one continued string of somersaults, or as if they were tying knots in their line 

 of flight, and are speedily obliged to settle, good birds often turning over from 

 twenty-five to forty times in a minute. In colour mine are mostly reds, with 

 some white, red-mottled, and black-grizzles. I have also some whites with dark 

 eyes. The greatest number of somersaults I have ever known done was performed 

 by a cock of this last breed, which turned forty-five in a minute. 



" It will be unnecessary for me to state that these birds require more attention 

 than common sorts, as it is always unadvisable to let them out in stormy or 

 windy weather, as, from their continuous tumbling, they cannot fly long or battle 

 with the storm, consequently get blown away from their home." 



In commenting on this interesting communication from Mr. Brent, Mr. James 

 Paton, of Stewarton, N.B., from whom Mr. Brent originally obtained his birds, 

 writes respecting the number of times an Ah- Tumbler will turn, that forty-five 

 turns in a minute " is good, but not extra tumbling, as some of this sort can 

 turn sixty times in a minute, but cannot fly much longer than that time. I 

 had a hen," continues Mr. Paton, " that has turned over forty-seven times in 

 forty-five seconds. In order to make them tumble, it is best to take them the 

 distance they can fly from their loft and let them fly back to it." 



With regard to the colour of these birds, Mr. Paton states that it varies greatly, 

 as there are "Beds, Blacks, Yellows, Blues, Kites, Agates, and Mottles." 



In respect to the hereditary transmission of this remarkable peculiarity, the 

 same breeder remarks : — " There is one thing that I must mention with regard 

 to the House Tumbler, namely, that it does not breed true. My experience of 

 them is that not more than one of six of their young will turn out to be house 

 tumbling birds, but those that do not do so sometimes produce the best birds." 



This reversion to the habits of the grand parents is a point of very great 

 interest when regarded from a physiological point of view. 



The most extreme instance of these irregular movements occurs in the birds 

 termed Lowtans in India. Of these there have never been, as far as we are aware, 

 any examples in England, where they are scarcely known even by name ; and 



