THE FANTAIL. 153 



gives them some resemblance to miniature swans. Barely, they are quite black ; 

 occasionally, they are seen white, with slate-coloured patches on the shoulders, lika 

 Turbits. A singular habit is the trembling motion of the throat, which seems to 

 be caused by excitement in the bird. The same action is observed in the Bunts, in 

 a less degree. The iris of the Fantail is of a dark hazel, the pupil black, which 

 gives to the eye a fulness of expression quite different to what is seen in most 

 other birds. I mention this, because Colonel Sykes, in the " Transactions of the 

 Zoological Society," makes the colour of the iris an important guide in determin- 

 ing the affinities or dissimilarities of species, believing it occasionally to manifest 

 even generic distinctions. Now amongst Fancy pigeons the iris varies greatly, and 

 is thought of much consequence, as is known to every amateur. The cere, at the 

 base of the Fantail's bill, looks as if covered with a white powder." 



In this short extract there are at least three important errors. Bespecting the 

 use of the tail as a medium for directing the bird during its flight, it will be found, 

 by referring to the article on the mechanism of flight in Chapter I., that the tail 

 is never employed for that purpose. The statements respecting the relative value 

 of Mules and Hinnys are entirely opposed to the facts of the case ; and the value 

 of the colour of the iris as a distinguishing mark between different species is not 

 acknowledged by either fanciers or naturalists. 



Leaving the previous authors who have written on this breed, we may consider 

 the bird as it exists at the present time. 



It appears tolerably certain that Fantails originated in the peninsula of 

 Hindostan. Pigeons have always been great favourites with the inhabitants of 

 many parts of India — not only the princes and the ladies of the court, but with 

 the common people also. Even within the last few years many very superior 

 specimens of the Fantail have been brought to England from India. These 

 recently imported specimens usually differ from the English-bred birds by the 

 possession of a slight tuft at the back of the head, resembling that of a Turbit 

 with a pointed crown ; and although in the number of the tail feathers they are 

 often superior to birds of the English breed, they are destitute of that elegant, 

 swan-like carriage of the neck, that adds so much grace to our native birds. At 

 their first importation some of our judges refused to award prizes to these tufted, 

 birds ; but at present they hold their own in competition, and take their fair share 

 of the prizes. 



Mi 1 . Harrison Weir states : — " I believe it is only the coarser birds of India that 

 have the tufts. Mine were very elegant. Not all the Indian birds have tufts, as 

 I imported several without, with heads and necks of fine quality. Some were 

 a blue of peculiarly rich colour. Nor do I consider the Indians always superior in 

 tail to the English breed, having had pure English quite as fine as any foreign. 

 The birds with turn-crowns generally lose two points in competition — the head 

 and neck being usually coarse and thick, and the English birds being of better 

 carnage." 



The principal property in the Fantail is the extraordinary development of the 



