MOSCOW. 
of all sorts for the sofa or the ehace, singing- 
birds, poultry, guns, pistols, in short, whatso- 
ever chance or custom may have rendered 
saleable. The sellers, excepting in the market 
of singing-birds, which is permanent and very 
large, have no shops; they remain with their 
wares exposed upon stalls, or they are seen 
hawking them about in their hands. Dogs and 
birds are the principal articles for sale. The 
pigeon-feeders are distinguished in the midst of 
the mob by long white wands, used for the 
purpose of directing the pigeons in their flight. 
The nobles of Moscow take great delight in 
pigeons: a favourite pair will sell from five to 
ten roubles in the market. We were surprised 
to see the feeders, by way of exhibiting their 
birds, let them fly, and then recover them again at 
pleasure. The principal recommendation of these 
birds consists in their rising to a great height in 
the air, by a spiral curve, all flying one way, and 
following each other. When a pigeon has bcerv 
launched, if it do not continue in the same line of 
curvature which the others observe, the feeder 
whistles, waving at the same time his wand, 
and then its course is immediately changed. 
During these exhibitions, the nobles stake their 
money in wagers, betting upon the height to 
which the birds will ascend, and the number 
of curves they will make in so doing. Among 
