209 FRILL-BREASTED PIGEONS. 



foul-vented. The best of the young ones from this pair was 

 a smooth-headed, almost completely Turbit-marked cock, of 

 small size, and good properties all over. I matched him to 

 his mother, and they bred several very small, peak-headed 

 birds of first rate quality, so well marked that, when lifted 

 up by the wings, some of them did not show one foul feather 

 below. The black Turbit hen mentioned above was de- 

 scended from the hen of the first pair of black Turbiteens 

 imported about 1872, which were probably superior to any 

 since brought to this country. I went on breeding this 

 strain of birds, and again crossed them with a hen I got 

 from Mr. Roper, till, in 1883, 1 succeeded in winning the cup, 

 at the Crystal Palace Show, for the best young Turbit of 

 all colours, with a very glossy black cock. Since then, these 

 birds and their offspring, in different hands, have won many 

 prizes at all the principal shows. 



The Turbit is found in all the twelve barred, chequered, 

 and solid colours, mentioned on page 49, but of these only 

 five — the black, red, yellow, blue, and silver — are chiefly bred 

 and shown. 



The black colour, when in perfection, is strongly glossed 

 with a green metallic lustre. Even when decidedly bad in 

 colour, a black Turbit shows any foul feathers on thighs or 

 vent so glaringly, that they tell strongly against it in com- 

 petition with others, such as blues and silvers; and I have 

 often seen specimens of the latter colours, which were no 

 better than blacks opposed to them, preferred because they 

 appeared cleaner-thighed and vented, whereas they were in 

 reality very much fouler. 



Red and yellow Turbits were, at the best, only fair in colour 

 before the introduction of red and yellow Turbiteens from 

 Smyrna. A great improvement has been effected by crossing 

 with these beautifully- coloured pigeons, and though their 

 feathered legs, head markings, and plain heads, take much 

 careful breeding to eradicate, it has been done. So much haa 



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