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ordinary number, twelve. This development of supernumerary tail feathers is very remarkable, and would alone give the bird a strange aspect; but besides this, it has the habit of throwing back its slender delicate neck till the head almost touches the tail, while, at the same time, the neck quivers with a tremulous motion. In this attitude, the chest is thrown forward, and the wings droop, while the bird seems to exult in the display. The beak is very short, the head small, and the plumage generally of a pure snowy white. Pied birds are not in estimation. There is a variety called the narrow-tailed shaker, which appears to us to be nothing more than a cross between the fan-tail and some common breed. Neither of these birds have much power of flight.

THE JACOBINE, OR CAPPER.-This pretty little variety is remarkable for the development, silkiness, and reversion of the plumes of the back and sides of the neck, which are so disposed as to form a sort of full hood or muff in which the head is almost buried. The head is small, the beak short, the iris of the eye of a clear pearl colour. The plumage varies in colour, but fawn-yellow birds are preferred: the head, the quill-feathers, and the tail, are

white. In powers of flight the jacobine is very inferior, but is much valued for its beauty. There are two allied varieties, the ruff and the capuchin, neither of which, however, are so much esteemed as the jacobine, the general characters of which they exhibit, but in an inferior degree.

THE TURBIT.-This is a small pigeon, remarkable for a frill on the top of the chest, consisting of a tuft of feathers, which opens and spreads both ways laterally with a curl; this is termed a "purle." The head is small, the beak short, the colour various, but the under parts and quill feathers are usually white. An allied variety is called the owl, from the crookedness of its beak, which is short, stout, and curved. Its chest is frilled.

THE NUN.-This pigeon is very pretty, and much admired from the contrast of its markings. The general plumage is white, with the exception of the head, quill feathers and tail, which are yellow, blue, or black; the latter the most preferred. On the top of the coloured head, is a white tuft of carded feathers, which, from a fancied resemblance to a veil, has obtained for this variety its appellation. The beak is small, the iris pearl-white. A variety

called the helmet is closely allied to the preceding, but instead of a full tuft or hood on the head, has a crest somewhat resembling that of a helmet. In other respects, there is no difference, except, perhaps, that the latter is rather the largest bird.

THE TRUMPETER.-This variety is not often seen. It has a tuft on the back of the head, and another springing above the base of the beak over the forehead; the legs and toes are feathered. The plumage is generally mottled. Its cooing in the spring is loud and harsh, whence it has obtained the name of trumpeter.

THE TUMBLER.-The tumbler is a small pigeon, much esteemed for the peculiarity of its flight, and when a flock is on the wing, the sight is not uninteresting. The title of tumbler is given in allusion to the backward summersets, often several times repeated, which these birds make in the air, but whether from amusement, or from some cause or other they become overbalanced, is not very clear; we have observed that when they prepare to alight, these somersets are most frequently repeated, and as it would seem, hinder the bird for some time from accomplishing its object. Perhaps, however, this is all in playfulness, for the

tumbler is a bird of great powers of flight, and mounts to such an elevation, as sometimes to be scarcely visible; it can also continue on the wing for several hours together, a circumstance which gives it value in the eyes of many, who delight to watch the circular movements of a flock of these birds, in close array, soaring at a vast altitude.

The tumbler pigeon varies in colour, whence have arisen various distinctive appellations, as bald-headed tumblers, the head being white; and bearded tumblers either blue or black, with a white moustache or stripe, extending from the base of the beak. The head is small and round, the beak short, and spine-shaped, the iris a clear pearl-white, the chest full and broad, the neck rather short, but slender, and the general contour compact. This variety is kept in great abundance in London.

THE ALMOND OR ERMINE TUMBLER. This variety, though derived from the ordinary tumbler, is not trained to flight, but is kept for its beauty, and the rich and varied admixture of its colours. It is much less than the common tumbler in size, and the beak and head are remarkably small; the plumage is variegated; yellow, black, white and brown,

or gray, being intermingled in streaks or dashes. It is not until after several moults, that the perfect colours are attained.

The above list of varieties of the domestic pigeon contains all of any note; several others, indeed, might be enumerated, as the Leghorn, the Spanish, and the Friesland Runt, (the latter having all its feathers reverted,) the Lace, the Finniken, the Spot, etc., but they are seldom to be seen, nor is any value attached to them.

THE SWIMMING, OR NATATORIAL GROUP.

In the natatorial group, or order, we are presented with a vast assemblage of birds, more or less decidedly constructed for aquatic habits, and the more so the more exclusively they tenant the waters of the sea, inlets along coasts, the mouths of wide rivers and extensive lakes. Some, indeed, are so exclusively formed for passing the period of their active existence, and for pursuing their prey in the water, that on the ground their movements are embarrassed and awkward in the extreme, and, in a few, the powers of flight are utterly abrogated. We are now pointing to extreme cases on the one part,

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