THE LOWTAN OR GROUND TUMBLERS OF INDIA. 131 



writing from Kohilcund, in the North West Provinces, gives a description of the 

 Lowtan from that part of India, which is also of much interest. 



" Lowtans are not uncommon about here, and I have kept them for more 

 than two years. 



" I never heard of them in England ; but I had concluded that they must be 

 known, at any rate by name. 



" The Lowtan is a strong hardy pigeon, and rears its young well. I have 

 now some seven or eight pairs. All are pure white, and I believe white to be the 

 proper colour, though I hear that Lowtans of other colours are to be met with. 

 The Lowtan has a turncrown, and except that it is all white, I think it pretty 

 closely resembles the Nun in appearance : it has a dark eye. I write from recol- 

 lection, as I have not seen a Nun for years, and having now been away from my 

 station for a month, I have not looked at the Lowtans before writing. 



" The Lowtan is not a tumbler, and does not resemble the Tumbler in a 

 single point. It ought rather to be called a roller than a tumbler, as otherwise 

 it may be supposed to be a variety of the Tumbler. Boiler is, too, a better 

 translation of the vernacular name, and gives a better idea of the Lowtan's 

 motion. Lowtan is from ' lotna,' to roll, a word never used in describing the 

 motion of a Tumbler pigeon. 



" The curious point about these pigeons is that they never roll of themselves, 

 and yet I do not think any Lowtan ever fails to roll on being shaken in the 

 proper way. 



" The bird is taken in one hand, the head coming up between the first and 

 second fingers, and is then moved from side to side rather quickly, by a motion 

 from the wrist. The bird is then placed on the ground, when it immediately 

 commences rolling over and over, apparently without any control over its move- 

 ments. On being taken up the bird quickly recovers. 



" I am sorry I cannot say how long a Lowtan will continue to roll, as I have 

 always taken them up before they stopped of themselves. I hardly ever make my 

 Lowtans roll, as it is not a pleasant sight, and when one has seen it once there is 

 no variety about it. 



" Natives say that if allowed to roll too long the birds are likely to injure them- 

 selves. Except when taken in the hand and shaken, Lowtans never roll, or show 

 any inclination for rolling, but fly about like other pigeons. 



" I am describing the common Lowtan, as I have never seen the other breed, 

 spoken of as the ' high caste ' Lowtan. I have, however, often heard of them, 

 and I expect to receive a pair in a few weeks. I hear that in colour and form 

 they exactly resemble the common breed, the only difference being that the 

 common Lowtan has to be shaken from side to side, while the other is said to 

 roll on the head being lightly touched. About here they are known as the 

 Choteen Lowtan, because they are said to roll on the turncrown (chotee) being 

 touched ; the Choteen Lowtans are said sometimes to commence rolling on 

 accidentally knocking their heads against anything, but I hardly believe this." 



" January 26th, 1867. " Gunga Jee." 



