470 THE WILD BOCK PIGEON. 



blackish blue, and having the outermost feathers edged with 

 white. 



The most remarkable varieties of this species are the fol- 

 lowing : 



1. The Monk is a Crested Pigeon. The head and crest are 

 white ; the rest of the body yellow, red, blue, or black. 



2. The Shield Pigeon is only occasionally crested. The 

 plumage is white, with exception of the scapulars, wing coverts, 

 and hinder pen feathers, which are yellow, red, blue, black, 

 or silvery grey. 



3. The Swallow Pigeon is pure white, except the wings and 

 a round spot on the top of the head, which are yellow, red, 

 blue, black, or silvery grey. It sometimes has a crest. 



4. The Striped Monk is black, with a white poll, and white 

 stripes across the wings. 



5. The White Head is like No. 1 in every respect, except in 

 having a white tail. 



6. The Marked Pigeon is white, with the exception of a small 

 streak on the forehead, and another on the tail, which are dark 

 red, or almost black. 



7. The Starling -necked Pigeon is blackish blue, with white 

 stripes across the wings, and a narrow white streak on the 

 breast. 



8. The Pouter is a Crested Pigeon. The plumage is white, 

 with exception of the poll, top of the neck, and breast, which 

 are marked with brown, black, or yellow. Another variety 

 has a coloured tail. 



9. The Veiled Dove is white, with exception of the head, 

 neck, and foremost pen feathers, which are black, red, or yellow. 



10. The Striped Starling-necked White Mead is the hand- 

 somest of all. It is black, with a white poll and tail, and white 

 stripes on the wings and breast. 



There are, besides these, many other varieties of the Domestic 

 Pigeon; which, however, are said by naturalists not to be 

 originally derived from the Wild Rock Pigeon, but to be them- 

 selves indigenous in different parts of the world. Among 

 these are : 



1 . The Trumpeter Pigeon, so called from its peculiar cooing, 

 is crested, and generally has its feet covered with leathers. It 

 is met with in all colours, but is often mottled with black and 

 white. It is a good breeder. 



