April 6, 1871. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



263 



Now for fact No. 2. A lady near me " put up," as it is called, 

 a pair of Canaries. The breeding-cage was placed near the 

 ceiling for fear of "puss," but could be moved up and down, 

 and brought near its mistress's eye by means of pulleys and 

 cords, the cords running along the ceiling. All seemed right for 

 a time ; the nest was duly made, but the hen did not appear to sit. 

 Down was brought the cage, the nest examined, and in it (oh ! 

 horrors !) was a tribe of young mice, cozy and comfortable, and 

 ofirecent birth. The old ones must have reached the cage at 



night, running along the cords Blondin fashion. The Canaries 

 were removed and some poison put in the cage, and next morn- 

 ing there were sixteen corpses of adult mice on the cage floor. 

 Mice are the worst troubles I know to a Canary fancier, and 

 cause most excusably, the — not anger — but little waves of 

 trifling displeasure to arise now and then in the minds of our 

 " B. B.s." May they all meet, not the " B. B.s," but the 

 mice, with like expeditiously-killing poison. — Wilishike 

 Eegiob. 



THE TURBIT. 



Among the many varieties of fancy Pigeoas, there is scarcely 

 one more charming than the Columba Turbita. It is almost 

 universally and certainly deservedly admired, not only for the 

 pleasing contrastjand beauty of its plumage, but also for its 



neat and elegant appearance. There is a doubt as to whether 

 Fraoce or Germany is its native place, since both countries 

 claim it as their own. It is, however, found in a much more 

 perfect state in the south of France, both as regards plumage 



!:!!;''! 





and points, than it is in Germany ; and from the comparatively 

 small knowledge of the bird exhibited by the modern Teutons, 

 it might not be rash to say that its home is France. 



The variety is classed by some ornithologists as the Columba 

 fimbriata, or Fringed Dove, from its flounced and scalloped 

 feathers, and in many respects it differs entirely from those 

 classes of fancy birds that seem to come very near to it in 

 appearance. 



The head of the Turbit is something more than peculiar, and 

 therefore very difScult to describe. In the front it should be 

 broad and full, while the top ought to be rather flat. The 

 profile view bears a very striking resemblance to that of the 

 frog, and is one of the most important points to be observed. 

 The beak, though not unlike that of the Jacobin, Columba 

 cueulata, should be shorter and thicker, while the strictly ortho- 

 dox colour, white, is not to bo departed from. The eye should 



be large and fall and of a dark hazel colour, having the pupil 

 black. A point of great merit is for the eye to be encircled by 

 a buff-coloured lash or cere. 



The peak or turn crown is now considered to be an essential 

 characteristic, though of the two the former is generally pre- 

 ferred, as it has a much neater and more finished appearance. 

 It must not, however, be confounded with the tuft or shell 

 crown, as seen in other Pigeons, since this — technically termed 

 head dress — would be as much out of place there as it is in cha- 

 racter here, being unique. This peak is formed by the feathers 

 rising from the back of the head in a horizontal line with the 

 eye and beak, which terminate in a prettily pointed curvature 

 a little above the head. If this is found placed lower down the 

 neck it detracts very much from the unbroken outline, and 

 spoiling an important point of excellence. In good specimens 

 the neck feathers on both sides incline backwards, and, meeting 



