Chapter XL 



PIGEONS DISTINGUISHED CHIEFLY BY THEIR 

 COLOUR OR MARKING. 



The Spot Pigeon. 



HE Spot has been described by every English 

 writer, including Willughby, and is common 

 on the Continent. The Germans call it the 

 Maskentaube, and the French, Pigeon Heurte, 

 or the Spot Pigeon. It is of the size and make 

 of the common Field Pigeon, generally smooth-headed and 

 clean-legged, and all white, except a spot of colour on the fore- 

 head, extending from the beak wattle to the middle of the 

 brow either blue, black, red, or yellow and with a coloured 

 tail and tail coverts to correspond. Some are peak-headed, 

 and others shell-hooded, in which case the feet and legs are 

 generally feathered as well. Boitard and Corbie refer to a 

 variety with white tails, the spot being the only coloured 

 portion of their feathers. These are classed with the Mon- 

 dains, or common pigeons. The upper mandible of the Spot 

 is coloured in accordance with its markings, the lower white. 

 The iris of the eye is hazel-coloured. 



