THE TBTJJIPETEE AND THE LAUGHEE. 159 



up boldly at the back of the head, extending widely and down the cheeks on 

 each side. 



*' The rose should be large and well defined, the feathers spreading in a rose or 

 circular form from a point at the junction of the upper mandible of the beak with 

 the skull ; it should lie nearly flat, and in good specimens is sufficiently large to 

 partially obstruct the vision. In some exceptional cases the rose is as large as an 

 old fiYe-shilling piece. 



" The feet should be extravagantly feathered, the feathers spreading well out- 

 wards from each toe, in first-class birds the longest of these feathers are from 

 four to five inches in length; a good strong quill is desirable. The legs are rather 

 vulture-hocked. 



" The prevailing colours in Trumpeters are black, white, yellow, and also black 

 mottles, the latter, when all other points are equal, having the preference, it being a 

 difficult matter to produce a pair of well-mottled birds, most of the so-called 

 mottles having a great preponderance of white, splashed with a few black feathers. 

 A good pair of mottles should approach as nearly as possible to the recognized 

 marking of the short-faced mottled Tumbler. Reds and duns are also occasionally 

 met with. 



" Much diversity of opinion prevails among fanciers as to the size of Trumpeters, 

 but, as a rule, large birds are preferred, — a good-sized bird would weigh over a 

 pound. 



" The carriage of the Trumpeter is somewhat runtish and squat ; the legs 

 being very short, as compared with those of many other varieties. 



" The trumpeting is a peculiarity possessed by this breed, and consists in a 

 prolongation of the ordinary coo of the male pigeon ; in some cases good birds, 

 when nesting, will continue to trumpet without intermission for several minutes. 



" Trumpeters are very tame and familiar in their habits, and free from shyness ; 

 they are fair breeders and nurses, though from the feathering of the feet liable to 

 break their eggs in the nest; consequently they should be provided with large-sized 

 nest-pans, such as have been recommended for Pouters and the other large breeds. 

 It is hardly necessary to add, that the extreme amount of feather on feet neces- 

 sitates the most careful cleanliness in their management." 



Under the title of " The Laugher," Moore describes a variety that, like the 

 Trumpeter, has a very peculiar voice. He says : — 



'•' This pigeon is about the size of a middling Runt, and much of the same 

 make, and I am informed has a very bright pearl eye, almost white ; as for its 

 feather, it is red mottled ; and some tell me they have seen blues. They are said 

 to come from the Holy Land near Jerusalem. When a cock plays to his hen he 

 has a hoarse coo, not unlike the gurgling of a bottle of water, when poured out, 

 and then makes a noise which very much imitates a soft laughter, and from 

 thence this bird has its name." 



Some few years since, several of these pigeons were imported into England from 

 Arabia, and some of them ^passed into our possession, In form they were the 



