79 PIGEONS OF COLOUR. 



Swiss Pigeon is in general not common, and is only found 

 in Saxony, Thuringia, and Silesia." 



Boitard and Corbie, in their chapter on the Pigeons Suisses, 

 include several varieties which appear to me to have no con- 

 nection with them, such as the Pigeon Suisse bai Dore ou bis 

 Dore. Their description and illustration of this variety make 

 it out to be more like the Hyacinth : " Ce pigeon ressemble 

 un peu au Maille Feu," they say. Brent has reproduced the 

 illustration of this pigeon on page 64 of his book (third 

 edition), where it serves as a portrait of the Porcelain Pigeon, 

 a sub-variety of the Hyacinth. I fancy that, after reading 

 that it resembled the fire- coloured Pigeon Maille, he thought 

 it would do well to represent it. 



The Veiled Pigeon, 



Known in Germany as the Farbenkopfige Taube, or Coloured- 

 headed Pigeon, and also as the Bdrtige, or Bearded Pigeon, 

 from its bib, is described by Neumeister as rather larger 

 than the common Field Pigeon. It is found in all the chief 

 colours, and the beak corresponds to the colour of the 

 markings. The Black variety has the special name of the 

 MohrenJcopf (Moor's Head), while others are Blue-head, Yellow- 

 head, and so on. The head is broadly hooded, and the iris, 

 Neumeister says, ought to be dark, but is generally yellow, 

 just as, when a pearl eye is demanded, it often comes dark. 

 The whole head is coloured, the shell hood included, though 

 it is white in his illustration; and the colour runs down the 

 breast, forming a bib. The tail, with its coverts, is coloured, 

 and the rest of the bird white. The feet and legs are generally 

 smooth, but sometimes feathered. Neumeister describes an 

 unhooded variety, which must have a narrow white stripe 

 dividing the coloured head at the nape, finishing at the back 

 of the head. 



Boitard and Corbie describe a similar variety to the above 

 under the name of Pigeon Coquille Barbu ; and still another 



