VARIOUS GERMAN TOYS. 207 



which probably produced them. They are generally whole- 

 coloured, of various colours, with white bars. 



Fairies, or Fairy Swallows, head a sub-variety of the 

 Swallow family. Generally they differ in being plain-headed, 

 but are also found shell-crowned and always muff-legged. They 

 are all white, except having coloured flights, coloured shanks 

 (white hocks), and a large, oval, coloured patch on the forehead. 

 The eye is dark, and the upper mandible. We once saw a bird 

 with a coloured saddle like that of a Magpie. 



Shields are of the same shape, with clean heads and muffed 

 legs, but differ in being all white, except the shoulders or sides 

 of wings, which are coloured as in the Turbit, but with white 

 bars, edged in blues with a narrow line of black. The eyes are 

 dark. 



Crescents are of the same shape, but are all over creamy 

 white, except a pair of chocolate or brown bars, and a large 

 crescent, of the same colour, depending on the breast, the 

 two horns reaching up almost to the back of the eye. 



Starlings are much like Crescents, but the colour is re- 

 versed. They are only known in black ; and, accordingly, are 

 of that colour all over, except a large dependent white crescent 

 on the breast, and a pair of white bars. They are known both 

 clean-legged and muffed, plain-headed and shell-crested. 



Fire pigeons, or Fire-backs, seem to be of the same tribe 

 crossed with the Archangel. They have the heavy muffed legs, 

 with vulture hocks and clean heads. The colour is a rich 

 chestnut, with an indescribable lustre or fiery copper glow all 

 over the neck, sides, and back, sometimes ticked with black ; 

 the head, muffs, and under parts kite-black ; tail and coverts 

 white, and a white spot on the forehead. This is a very hand- 

 some pigeon, and good specimens are much admired. 



Ice pigeons have a Dove-house head, and are both clean- 

 legged and muffed. The characteristic of all the varieties is a 

 frosted, powdery bloom. The eyes are generally dark, and also 



