

SIDE VIEW 01' FANTAIL. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE F ANT AIL. 



T^ANTAILS are a very ancient variety ; they were alluded to by Aldrovandus, and 

 -"- described by Willughby under the name of Broad-tailed Shakers, because, as 

 he states, " they do almost constantly shake, or wag their heads and necks up and 

 down ; Broad-tailed, from the great number of feathers they have in their tails ; 

 they say, not fewer than twenty-sis. "When they walk up and down, they do for 

 the most part hold their tails erect, like a hen or turkey-cock. These also vary 

 much in colour." 



Moore also terms this variety the Broad-tailed Shaker, and states : — " This 

 pigeon has a beautiful long thin neck, which bends like the neck of a swan, 

 leaning towards the back ; it has a frequent tremulous motion, or shaking in 

 the neck, especially when salacious, which is the reason why they are called 

 Shakers. It has a full breast, a very short back, and a tail consisting of a 

 great number of feathers, seldom less than four-and-twenty, which it spreads in a 

 very elegant manner, like the tail of a turkey-cock, and throws it up so much that 

 the head and tail frequently meet. 



" They are called by some Fantails, and I once saw one that had six-and-thirty 

 feathers in its tail ; but when they have so many feathers it is apt to make them 

 lop their tails, and not let them meet with their head, which is a very great 

 fault. 



" They are most commonly all white, though I have seen both black, blue, red, 

 and yellow-pieds, but the white ones have generally the best carriage in their tail 



