THE TRUMPETER. 
57 
domestic pigeons. The chestnut and blue-black portions of the bird do not 
terminate abruptly, but are gently shaded into each other. There is a 
darker bar at the end of the tail. The iris is very bright orange-red; the 
feet clean and unfeathered, and bright red. Archangel pigeons have 
a turn of feathers at the back of the head, very similar to that of the trum¬ 
peter. It is the coloring, rather than the form, which so specially dis¬ 
tinguishes them. Their size is very much that of the rock-dove. They are 
sufficiently prolific to be kept as stock birds, and a flight of them is a par¬ 
ticularly beautiful object; but they are at present too valuable, either as 
presents or for exchange and sale, to be consigned to the hands of the cook. 
Still, it is with the higher rather than the lower class of pigeon-fancier3 
that they are in much request, in spite of the bright and glowing hues with 
which their plumage is adorned. Their name is probably derived from 
their having been originally brought to us from the Russian port, or via 
Archangel from some other quarter, as Tartary, India, or the Chinese 
empire. 
THE TRUMPETER 
Is so called from the sound it utters after playing, which is thought to re¬ 
semble the sound of a trumpet; which strange propensity in the birds is 
increased by feeding them with hempseed and other stimulating food. It 
is something like the Leghorn runt in size and appearance. It has a tuft 
of feathers sprouting from the root of the beak, and the larger this is, the 
greater to the fancier is the value of tho bird. The legs and feet are featli- 
3 * 
