128 



350. They are the same size as the common Dove-house Pigeons, but rather slighter 

 made ; they are very light and quick in their flight, and field very well. Like the Arch- 

 angel, they are point-headed and clean-footed. Their plumage is almost as glossy as the 

 Black-backed Archangel ; their head, neck, and breast are of one colour, as black, red, 

 blue, or yellow ; hence they are designated black-breasts, or red-breasts, as the case 

 may be. The rest of the plumage is of a beautiful clear white ; the white feathers of 

 the young are edged with a colouring, but become pure white after the first moult. As 

 the name of Archangel has been promulgated, and the Bullfinch Pigeons are now well 

 known by that name, I think, from the striking resemblance this variety bears to that, 

 that the name of White Archangel will be the most appropriate English name for this 

 variety, and the sub- varieties may be easily expressed, as black-breasted, or red-breasted, 

 White iVi'ch angel. 



STOMACHEE. 



351. This variety is known in Germany as "Die Latz-Taube," (the Stomacher 

 Pigeon) from its being white in plumage, and wearing, as it were, a dark stomacher or 

 breast-cloth. They are rather larger than the common Dove-cot Pigeon, being thicker 

 made about the neck and breast ; they are however quick and active and field well. 

 They are " stockinged," or feathered to the toes with small feathers, and have very fine 

 sheU-tm-ned crowns, which differ from the usual turned crowns in the feathers not being 

 placed so close together, and in the crowns reaching half-way down the back of the 

 neck. The head, and front of the neck as far as half the breast, is coloured either 

 black, blue, red or yeUow, from which they derive their name ; the hood, back of the 

 neck, as also the remainder of the plumage is white. 



352. Like the preceding, these are, as yet, uncommon in this country. 



THE STAELING-BEEASTED PIGEON. 



353. This variety resembles the common Dove-cot Pigeon in size, shape, and habits, 

 and they field well ; they are generally smooth-headed and clean-footed. The colour is 

 almost always black, though occasionally blue or red ; they have gravel eyes, and dark 

 beaks. Their markings are as follows : two white bars on each wing, and a white 

 speckled crescent-shaped band below the fore part of the neck across the crop, about an 

 inch broad ; the feathers which compose this band being tipped with white somewhat 

 after the manner of a starling's plumage, from which they deiive their name, and which 

 looks very pretty on the dark glossy ground colour of the Pigeon's neck. 



354. In the young, the white markings are of a rosy red until the first moult, when 

 they become white. 



355. These white markings retain their regularity only until the third or fourth 

 moult ; they generally become lighter, the points of the flight feathers get white, and 

 the crown of the head grey ; and the beautiful breast band becomes lighter, larger, and 

 more unsightly with age. 



356. I have had a few with white heads like the Priest Pigeons ; they had also 

 turned crowns, the upper mandible was white, and the eyes dark. 



357. Their German name is " Staar-halsige Taube." 



THE SWISS PIGEON. 



358. Not having seen this variety, which is to be met with both in Germany and 

 Trance, I shall make no apology for giving the following description from Herr Gott^ 

 LOB Neumeistek's Work, " Das Gandezer Tauben-Zucht." " The Swiss Pigeon (Die 

 Schweitzer-Taube) , also known by the name of Half-Moon Pigeon (Halbmonds-taube), 

 is the size of the common Field Pigeon (Dove-house Pigeon), and equally light and 

 quick in flight. 



359. Their feet are heavily feathered, their ground colour is almost white, only a 

 slight shade of colour to be seen ; on the breast they have a coloured marking which 

 resembles a half-moon, or only a finger-broad band, which passes in a curve over the 

 crop ; and on the wings they have two narrow, curved, coloured bars." 



360. From a translation of the French Work on Pigeons, by M.M. Boitard and 



