The "rainbow pigeon" did not strike me as particularly desirable; but, thinking here was a good chance to catch "Grizzly Adams," I bought the pair of golden pigeons for ten dollars, and sent them up to the "Happy Family," marked "Golden Pigeons from California." Mr. Taylor the great pacificator, who has charge of the Happy Family, soon came down in a state of perspiration. "Really, Mr. Barnum," said he, "I could not think of putting those elegant golden pigeons into the Happy Family--they are too valuable a bird--they might get injured--they are by far the most beautiful pigeons I ever saw; and as they are so rare, I would not jeopardize their lives for anything." "Well," I replied, "you may put them in a separate cage, properly labeled." Monsieur Guillaudeu, the naturalist and taxidermist of the Museum, has been attached to that establishment since the year it was founded, 1810. He is a Frenchman, and has read everything upon Natural History that was ever published in his own or in the English language. He is now seventy-five years old, but is lively as a cricket, and takes as much interest in Natural History as he ever did. When he saw the "golden pigeons from California," he was considerably astonished! He examined them with great delight for half an hour, expatiating upon their beautiful color, and the near resemblance which every feature bore to the American ruff-neck pigeon. He soon came to my office and said: "Mr. B., these golden pigeons are superb, but they cannot be from California. Audubon mentions no such bird in his work upon American Ornithology." I told him he had better take Audubon home with him that night, and perhaps by studying him attentively he would see occasion to change his mind. The next day, the old naturalist called at my office and remarked: "Mr. B., those pigeons are a more rare bird than you imagine. They are not mentioned by Linnaeus, Cuvier, Goldsmith, or any other writer on Natural History, so far as I have been able to discover. I expect they must have come from some unexplored portion of Australia." "Never mind," I replied, "we may get more light on the subject, perhaps, before long. We will continue to label them 'California Pigeons' until we can fix their nativity elsewhere." The next, morning, "Old Grizzly Adams," whose exhibition of bears was then open in Fourteenth street, happened to be passing through the Museum, when his eyes fell on the "Golden California Pigeons." He looked a moment and doubtless admired. He soon after came to my office. "Mr. B," said he, "you must let me have those California pigeons." "I can't spare them," I replied. "But you _must_ spare them. All the birds and animals from California ought to be together. You own half of my California menagerie, and you must lend me those pigeons." "Mr. Adams, they are too rare and valuable a bird to be hawked about in that manner; besides, I expect they will attract considerable attention here."