127 



not even the black wing bars so common to blue Pigeons. These are, however, not 

 very plentiful. The White-tailed Priest Pigeon, or Pilferer, may be mentioned here, as 

 it scarcely requires a separate notice, it having all the same colours and markings of 

 the foregoing, with the addition of a white tail, but it is rarely so accurately marked. 

 Mr. Neumeisteb considers it a cross between the Priest and Monk. 



THE MONK. 



344. The Monk is another of the toys but rarely seen in this country ; the few I 

 have seen exhibited had the spangled shoulders of the Suabian cross, and were shown 

 by the names of " Ermine Baldheads," or " Saxons." They are known in Germany as 

 *' Die Monch Taube" (Monk Pigeons), from a fancied resemblance of their white head 

 to the shaven pate of a Monk, 



345. — This variety is also slightly larger than the common Dovehouse Pigeon ; they 

 are smooth-headed, the feet are short and heavily feathered, the irides are dark ; they 

 have broad breasts and backs, but are not so quick and active as the foregoing. In 

 markings they resemble our Bald-headed Tumblers ; the head, tail, flight, rump, 

 thighs, and feathers on the feet are white, the rest of the body being either black, 

 blue, red or yellow ; sometimes the black aad blue Monks have white wing bars, 

 which are still more rare on the red and yellows ; the blues, as before-mentioned, are 

 also occasionally spangled on the whole of the shoulder. Great attention is required to 

 breed them of accurate markings ; or like all other toys, they become valueless if they 

 lose their only property — feather. 



AECHANGEL. 



346. Having thus far des^ibed the ecclesiastics of the Pigeon-house, it will not be 

 out of place to soar a little higher, and now describe the so-called " Archangel." These 

 Pigeons have but recently become known to the English amateur, but in Germany they 

 are plentiful, and are there called "Gimpel," ''Dompfaffen," or "Blutfink Tauben," 

 which means Bullfinch Pigeon, these being only various names for that bird, and I 

 confess I was somewhat surprised to hear the name of Archangel applied to them 

 when I met with them in London. Sir John Sebeight has the credit of first intro- 

 ducing them into this country, and possibly from the translation of the word " Domp- 

 faflfen," which means a Cathedral Priest or Canon, as weU as a Bullfinch, it was not 

 difiBcult, by a stretch of imagination, to clap wings on the Archpriest, and transform 

 him into Archangel. These Pigeons are the same size as common Dovehouse Pigeons, 

 rather slighter built, and as sharp and light in their flight ; still they are tame, gentle, 

 and rather weakly, and do not increase so well as some others ; they are point-headed 

 and clean-footed ; the iris of the eye is a bright orange. Their plumage is, however, 

 exceedingly beautiful, and the feathers are more glossy and shining than any other 

 variety with which I am acquainted ; the head, neck, breast, and under parts, are cop- 

 per red coloured, changing into a bright orange brown ; the back and shoulders are a 

 deep slaty black, having a purplish gloss ; the flights are dusky black, and the tail is 

 slaty, barred with black. 



347. The young ones are at first kite or "■ hawked," but gain a great portion of their 

 adult plumage at the first moult, though no Pigeons drop the secondary wing feathers 

 (except two at eacli side) till the second moult, consequently, a brown patch remains 

 on the shoulders till that time in these, as well as in the Suabians and other young span- 

 gled Pigeons. 



348. There is a second variety of the Bullfinch Pigeon that is rather lighter on the 

 breast ; the shoulders are dull blue, with dark brown wing bars, but I believe it is not 

 much esteemed. 



THE BREAST, OR WHITE ARCHANGEL. 



349. This, too, is one of the pretty German Toys, and I can only remember having 

 seen one pair of them in this country, which were exhibited in London imder the name 

 of "Dresdens," most probably from their being brought from that city. They are, 

 however, frequently to be met with in various parts of Germany, where they are known 

 as " Die farbenbrustige Taube" (the Coloured-breasted Pigeons), or simply as "Die 

 Brust " (the Breast). 



