CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE SWALLOW PIGEON. 



The swallow pigeon, known in Germany in several varieties as the 

 Schwdlbentauhe and in Prance as the Sirondelle, has its name from its re- 

 semblance in marking to the tern or sea swallow. The ordinary type found 

 in this country is usually imported from Germany, and is marked like the 

 illustration, which is taken from a bird shown successfully by Mr. Glenday, 

 of Broughty Perry. The swallow has a long slender beak, the upper 

 mandible of which is coloured in accordance with the marking. The 

 forehead rises rather abruj>tly, the head is flat, and coloured above an 

 imaginary line running from the corners of the mouth through the eyes. 

 The hood, which should be extensive and of a cupped shell form, should 

 be all white, and not lined with coloured feathers, or the bird loses in 

 value. The coloured feathers in the nestling must not extend back as far 

 as the hood, or the desired marking will not be attained at maturity, as 

 described in the nun. The eye has a dark hazel iris, and when the mark- 

 ings are of rich colour, as they often are, the eye cere and corners of the 

 mouth are bright red. The neck is slender and short, the breast broad, 

 the body broad and flat, and the legs short. The wings and flights are 

 coloured, but the scapular and back feathers mu st be all white, forming 

 a heartshaped figure on the back, the marking here being the reverse of 

 the magpie pigeon. The legs and feet should be heavily hocked and 

 booted, the heavier the better, as this adds to the ai^pearance, and is 

 in keeping with the shape of this variety. The hock feathers must be 

 white, but all feathers below the hocks, on the legs and feet, must be 

 coloured. The general appearance of the swallow is that of a thickset, 

 broad, low-standing pigeon, which has caused it to be considered on 



