PIGEONS. 



THE TURBIT. 



This pigeon is rather larger than a 

 jacobine; its head is round, beak 

 short, it has a tuft of feathers grow- 

 ing from the breast, and spreading 

 like the frill of a shirt ; this tuft is 

 termed the purle; and according to 

 the size of this purle and the short- 

 ness of its beak, the bird is valued ; 

 it has also a gullet which reaches 

 from its beak to the purle. Yellow, 

 dun, red, blue, and black, are the 

 colours most frequently seen in this 

 variety of the pigeon tribe, but some few chequered ones are occa- 

 sionally bred. According to the fancy, the back of the wings and 

 tail should be all of one colour, the yellow and red-coloured birds 

 excepted, whose tails ought to be white ; a bar or stripe of black 

 should cross the wings of the blue- coloured ones, but the other parts 

 of the body and flight feathers must be white ; they are termed 

 yellow-shouldered, black- shouldered, &c. according to their different 

 tints. When of a whole colour, such as blue, white, or black, these 

 birds have often been sold as specimens of another variety, the 

 owl. If well trained, when young, they will become very excellent 

 flyers. 



THE OWL. 



The owl is somewhat less than a jacobine ; it is gravel-eyed, and 

 has a short curved beak, very much like that of an owl, from which 

 it derives its name. The purle of the owl is rather larger, and in 

 form much more like an expanded rose than that of the turbit ; but 

 in other respects, with the exception of the beak, the birds resemble 

 each other so closely, that any further description is unnecessary. 

 Great care should be taken that the breeding-places of these birds 

 are secluded from observation, and dark, for the slightest alarm 

 frightens them, and when molested, they fly from their eggs. 



The nun is greatly admired, from the elegant contrasts of colour 

 in its plumage. Its body is generally white, and its tail and six 

 flight feathers of its wings should be either wholly red, vivid yellow, 

 or black, as likewise its head, which is adorned and nearly covered 

 by a tuft, a "veil" of pure white feathers ; according to its colours, 

 the bird is termed a red, yellow, or black-headed nun, as it may 

 happen to be ; and whenever the feathers vary from this rule, the 

 bird is of little value. The nun should have a small head and beak, 

 a pearl eye, and if the tuft or veil is very large, the more beautiful 

 and valuable the bird is considered. 



