333 THE MAGPIE. 



fection, being, as a rule, very deficient both in shell and 

 quality of colour; and it so happens, that the marking of the 

 Nun encroaches on those parts of the bird which present 

 the very greatest difficulty to the breeder of red and yellow 

 pigeons the tail and flights. Could red and yellow Nuns be 

 produced of such rich and lustrous colour as some kinds of 

 pigeons display, I would consider them very much finer 

 examples of the breeder's skill than blacks, though, at the 

 same time, they would lack the contrast ; the red, however, would 

 not be much behind even there. Bed and yellow Nuns have 

 light beaks and toe nails. 



The Magpie Pigeon. 



This beautiful variety of the Tumbler, known in Germany 

 as the Elstertummler, is now extensively fancied in this 

 country. During late years competition has been strong 

 among its admirers, who have drawn up a standard of its 

 points, and formed a club for its encouragement. Although 

 few of the pretty birds to be seen at shows would be able 

 to tumble in the air, as they are bred mostly for appear- 

 ance, the tumbling propensity is not entirely eradicated, 

 as I have seen some of them perform creditably when 

 flown. What is wanted at present in a show Magpie is 

 a very small, slenderly-built pigeon, with a flattish head and 

 long, slender beak, a thin neck, and short flights and tail. 

 The iris should be as pearly white as possible, and the legs 

 and feet free of feathers. The colours are black, red, yellow, 

 dun, blue, and silver, marked as follows: The head, neck, and 

 breast, are coloured to a line running between the butts of 

 the wings; the scapular feathers are coloured so as to form 

 the saddle, or heart-shaped figure, on the back; the back and 

 tail, with its upper and under coverts, are coloured; the rest 

 of the feathers ought to be white. This marking is so fixed, 

 that the Magpie breeds very true to it. Absolute perfec- 

 tion, however, is so rare, that, to make the lines of 



