B URAIESE AND L A HORES. 
339 
apparently hoisting breast, tail, and flights as if wading through mud, at the same time trying 
to avoid getting besmeared with the mire. 
“ There are of this variety various colours and numerous kinds of markings — self-coloured Blacks, 
Reds, Yellows, and Whites, Mottles or Pied in various eccentric manners. The plate represents a 
Black-mottled hen bird, one of a pair I bought of Mr. Matthew Martin, of Canterbury, and which 
I was told at the time of purchase were ‘ imported from India as youngsters this pair I have now 
had some years, and of all the birds I have had or still possess, this pair (for their singularity) were most 
conspicuous, and caused the first remark (not always favourable) from any one viewing my stock, 
as they would sure to be the foremost to descend and parade their ugliness amongst their beautiful 
associates ; indeed, although I have seen numerous birds of this kind, I never beheld a pair with 
points developed to such an extraordinary degree as my pair of Mottles. The cock bird (a very 
old one) would strut about my yard at full liberty, a perfect caricature, and, poor fellow! was a 
laughing-stock to all who saw him ; he is now dead, so that I keep the hen in confinement until 
I find another suitable mate for her. Well now, having briefly shown the points and peculiarities 
of the so-called ‘ Burmese,’ or ‘ Florentines,’ whose direct descent I could never trace nor ascertain 
under either of those titles, I therefore arrive at the conclusion that they are off-shoots of the 
Leghorn Runt, and this idea has been materially strengthened on reference to the Pigeon 
‘Treatise ’of the last century, wherein I find a description of ‘ The Leghorn Runt,’ which runs 
thus: — ‘The Leghorn Runt was originally bred in Pisa, in the Duke of Tuscany’s dominions, 
or at Pisa, in Peloponesus, and from thence brought to Leghorn, and so transmitted hither ; but 
the latter seems the most probable, because it answers the description which Willoughby in his 
ornithology calls ‘ Columba Tursica seu Persica’ (the Turkish or Persian Pigeon). It is a stately, 
large pigeon, some of them seven inches or better in legs, close feathered, and firm in flesh, 
extremely broad-chested, and very short in back; he carries his tail, when he walks, somewhat turned 
up like a duck, but when he plays, he tucks it down ; his neck is longer than any other pigeon, which 
he carries bending like a goose or a swan;' and further on it is said ‘ in feather they are various, but 
the best I have seen were either zvhite, black, or red~mottlcd! So that if the reader only compares 
notes, I think it must be agreed that they are one and the same breed, identical in every point, 
excepting, perhaps, a more perfect development of the chief peculiarity, viz., the tail of birds of 
the present day. 
“ These birds will breed freely in this country, and rear their progeny remarkably well. They 
do not always breed true to feather or marking, because a re-production of their singular shape 
has been the chief desideratum, therefore in colour or markings they sport in various ways. 
“ All the coloured specimens should have orange eyes, the self-feathered whites have dark eyes. 
They are active birds (considering their bulk), and get about from place to place pretty well upon 
the wing. They are hardy birds, and thrive well in this country either at liberty or in captivity, 
and agree very well with any other kind of pigeon, and are not at all pugnacious, but seem a 
contented kind, and at peace with others. They are no beauties, it is true, but they formed a 
remarkable contrast to the others in my pen of curiosities, and created as much- fun at home 
as the others aroused admiration. ' 
I.AHORES. 
“ These are Indian Pigeons— large, fine birds, and of quite eccentric markings. In size of 
body they are about the weight of a good-sized Dragoon. I dare say there are various coloured 
birds of this kind, but all the birds which I have seen have been the black-and-white ones. I have 
seen many such at shows, have kept them myself, and have seen some unshipped at the Liverpool 
