346 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
they are also of very keen vision, ever on the alert, sly and watchful. When captured, their 
stubborn determined nature prompts the most desperate efforts for release, and if not handled by 
somewhat of an expert, tail and flights will be the only objects retained within the grasp, whilst the 
escaped bird, bereft almost entirely of the means of locomotion, whizzes away upon nearly feather- 
less stumps. The whole tribe are extremely shy. I have known some of them to be without food 
for five days in strange quarters, rather than venture down to the broadcast meal supplied daily to 
their other associates, and then only through the cravings of nature descending now and then, and 
making innumerable hasty snatches at a grain. Such is their wild, nervous disposition when in 
confinement, that it operates greatly against them through the breeding season, for although they 
are, if at large, free breeders, yet if disturbed, they will often forsake eggs, neglect or entirely desert 
their young, and be so thoroughly discomforted as to remain dormant or comparatively useless. 
HYACINTHS AND VICTORIAS. 
“ These are of German origin, and I have drawn them a little asunder from the aforenamed 
kinds merely because they are larger birds, and somewhat different in formation. Still they 
partake very much of the same wild uneasy character as the other sorts, with which they have 
been extensively crossed. 
“ Hyacinths are large, bold birds, strong and hardy, plain in head and breast, and tight in 
feather; the beak is a little stronger and straighter in formation than most of the other sorts, neck 
a little longer, breast more prominent, legs longer, and carriage more erect and commanding. 
The feather properties in the Hyacinth, as with all the others, are the chief recommendation. In 
this particular they are indeed very beautiful and attractive, but in points of configuration they are 
not prepossessing, and do not favourably compare with the Eastern frilled birds, which are gems 
of form as well as feather. The Hyacinth is of a very deep purple-blue colour ; the breast, thighs, 
vent, rump, and tail are of similar but lighter shade ; the flights or primaries are blue-black, and 
a band of black near to extremity of tail ; the entire sides up to and around the shoulders and 
across the saddle are beautifully variegated with a tri-coloured plumage, the ground tint being of a 
pale brownish colour ; the figuring thereon consists of a perfect and regular gradation of elongated, 
triangular, or dart-shaped black markings at the outer extremity and centre of every feather in 
continuation of the shaft, which also is dark-coloured. Within each triangular marking, too, 
is distinctly discernible a filling-up of light grey or bluish colour, which completes the entire 
plumage of these birds. The eye is orange-coloured, the beak black, the legs clear and free 
from feather. By reason of the depth of colour of head and neck, the lustre thereon is very 
conspicuous and beautiful. 
“ Victorias are birds of good size, perhaps even a litter larger than Hyacinth ; in fact, at nearly 
every point resemble the Hyacinth, variation of colour only being the chief difference I could ever 
trace, and in my opinion they might just as well be classed under the same name. In com- 
parison, the Hyacinth is dark, and Victorias of a lighter shade, sulphur or yellowish ground tint 
usually, which is simply a common variation such as is always discernible in birds of variegated 
plumage. Eye, orange red ; the head and breast free from 4 crest ’ or ‘ frill ; ’ beak and nails black ; 
legs and feet featherless; sides, shoulders, and saddle fine dart-shape markings, without any trace 
of blue therein ; head, neck, breast, thighs, belly, vent, rump, and tail of an ashen hue, with but 
faint reflects of lustre discernible upon the neck ; shafts of feathers dark. 
SUABIANS. 
“ These are very handsome pigeons. There are several variations, such as light and dark, 
heavily and lightly spangled, crested and plain heads, feather-footed, or clear-legged, dark-coloured 
