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CHAPTER XXIII. 
THE TRUMPETER. 
The pigeon generally known by this name, and sometimes also the Laughing Pigeon, though this 
seems an old term now almost died out, is chiefly a native of Russia, and seems indeed, by its 
abundant feather, particularly suited to withstand the climate. We speak of the most perfect type 
of Trumpeter specially, which has only lately been imported, and is sometimes called the “ new 
type,” to distinguish it from inferior birds formerly in England, and known as “ old type.” These 
we believe to have also come in the first place from Russia ; but they appear to have reached 
England through Germany ; at all events we have known many birds thus imported, and some 
which are specifically known as “ German Letz ” pigeons only differ in having less still of 
Trumpeter properties, with light-coloured bars, and are evidently formed by a cross with some 
variety to impart these bars, what is obtained in one point being lost in the others. The classifica- 
tion of Trumpeters into “old” and “new” types still adopted at some shows is in our opinion an 
entire farce, adopted solely to increase entries ; and we have noticed that in many cases the winners 
have been — not English-bred birds — but simply inferior Russians, while in all cases it is the birds 
which come nearest to the new type which win the prizes. 
The main properties of the Trumpeter are three, viz., rose, crest, and foot-feather. These 
we value in the order named, and will describe them accordingly. 
The rose is a sort of helmet or crest (only that the word “ crest ” is applied to another 
property) on the top of the head. It should form a perfect cap, all the feathers diverging from the 
centre, and covering the skull from the base of the beak in front, to the back of the head near the 
crest, and overhanging the eyes at the sides so that the bird can only see in a downward direction. 
The size should be as stated, the rose of first-rate specimens being as large as a crown-piece ; but 
form is of no less importance. Each feather must lie smoothly, without raggedness, and be of such 
a length that the whole looks even at the edges, and grow out from the centre of the circle like the 
petals of a small flower. There are many birds with a large rose, but the feathers so irregular in 
build as to disfigure them, some appearing as if twisted, others standing up from the surface, &c. 
The rose as represented in our plate is not the least exaggerated, as we have seen and had various 
birds with the property quite as much developed and as evenly formed. 
The crest is at the back of the head, and somewhat like the shell-crest of a Turbit, but very far 
more developed. The feathers should rise all round the back of the head, very nearly from eye to eye, 
with a little extra at the back of each eye, where it will be seen to finish like a small rosette. The 
crest should project, like a coronet, clearly above the level of the top of the skull, and on the whole 
present somewhat the appearance of a half cockle-shell. The great beauty of this property, as in the 
rose, lies equally in regularity and evenness of build as in size, though size is important. In the 
majority of specimens the crest is so irregular and loosely formed that it appears as if the bird was 
in moult, or part of the feathers plucked, but it should and sometimes does appear as we have 
represented it, and the feathers should have, when touched, a strength or elastic “spring” like 
the hood of a Jacobin. 
