161 PIGEONS WITH ERECT TAILS. 



Flying Pigeon. The Florentine is described as being about 

 the size of an English Bantam hen, similar in characteristics 

 to the Maltese, and generally with blue markings. German 

 writers class the Modena Flying Pigeon as a variety of the 

 Hilhnertauben, and it may have been produced from the 

 Florentine; but although the Modenese Pigeon sometimes 

 carries the tail raised, it ought to be horizontal. 



The Speckled Hen Pigeon. 



Die Huhnerschecke Taube (the Speckled Hen Pigeon) re- 

 sembles the Maltese in its general points, but is seldom so 

 round in build. Its head is fine; its wax-coloured, some- 

 what strong beak is of the usual length; its neck and legs 

 are somewhat shorter than the Maltese, and it seldom carries 

 its tail so upright. It has often fourteen feathers in the 

 tail; the inner side of the leg is sometimes provided with 

 short feathers; the ground colour is white, with black, red, 

 yellow, and blue speckles of a very intense colour. 



The Hungarian Pigeon. 



Ungar'sche Taube (the Hungarian Pigeon) is described as 

 follows: By perseverance and chance, there has risen from 

 the Florentine the so much liked, beautifully marked, 

 and expensive Hungarian Pigeon. It is found mostly in 

 Austrian Hungary. The nearer it approaches the Maltese 

 in form, the better. The colouring of its plumage is beauti- 

 ful; the black deep and velvety, with metallic sheen; the 

 red and yellow fiery and sated; the blue clear. Its dis- 

 tinguishing mark is the so-called " band " mark, which is 

 peculiar to this pigeon. This white band, or stripe, begins 

 at the nostrils, about the breadth of a straw, widens as it 

 goes back, dividing the colouring of the head, and disappears 

 at the nape of the neck, which is white down to the 

 shoulders. The colour, therefore, runs over each eye, turns 

 down by the ears, and forms a deep, pear-shaped bib on 



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