The Institutes of Akbar 217.2

217.2

Pigeons of these colours have often different names, as gulsar (whose head resembles a flower); dumgházah (stumptail) ; yakrang (of one colour) ; halqimsafíd (white throat); parsafíd (white wing); kallah (big head); ghazghazh (wild chick); mégh (name of an aquatic bird); Súbarí (?); álpar (red wing ?); haltah par (short wing); máhdum (moontail); tawqdar (ringbearer) ; marwárídsar (pearl head); mash’alahdum (torchtail) ; &c. Some trainers of the present age gave pigeons such names as indicate their colours. His Majesty rather calls them according to their qualities, as bughur (?), qarapilk (with black eyelids) ; abyárí ; palangnigárí ; rékhtah pilk. There are also many pigeons which do not perform charkhs and bázís, but are distinguished by their colours, or by peculiar tricks. Thus the Kokah pigeon, the voice of which sounds like the call to prayer. 2. The Baghah, which utters a peculiar voice in the morning, to wake up people. 3. The Luqqan, which struts about proudly, wagging its head, neck, and tail. 4. The Lotan. They turn it about, and let it off on the ground, when it will go through all the motions which a half killed fowl goes through. Some pigeons will do so when the keeper strikes his hand against the ground, and others will shew the same restlessness, when on leaving the cage their beak is made to touch the ground. 5. The K’herní. The cock shews a remarkable attachment to the hen.