Fancy Piteous. 



Eoman and Montauban pigeons, has shorter wing's and tail than these, 

 and reminds one more of a domestic fowl than a pigeon. The colour 

 ie generally blue dappled or red. In the North of Germany these 

 pigeons were formerly much bred in Griefswald, Stralsund, and Colberg, 

 but seem now to have become quite extinct there." 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



THE FRIZZLED OR FRIESLAND PIGEON. 



The frizzled pigeon, or Priesland runt, as it was formerly called, is not a 

 runt of the large kind, but a bird of the size and shape of a common 

 pigeon. Moore writes of it as follows : "This pigeon comes from 

 Friesland, and is one of the larger Sort of middle siz'd Bunts ; its 

 feathers stand all reverted, and I can't see for what it can be admir'd, 

 except for it's XJgUness." So far Mr. Moore, whose successors, Mayor 

 and Girton, follow on the same string with variations, both adding that 

 these pigeons were, in their time, very scarce in England. The Friesland 

 runt — which name I merely use because it was formerly so called, and 

 because it matters little what name it goes by so long as it is not that of 

 another pigeon — must have become extinct in England; but of late it has 

 reappeared from abroad. It is known as the Lockentauhe in Germany, 

 where it is said to be rare, and Neumeister says it comes from Hungary. 

 It is smooth-headed and usually stocking-legged, without much feathering 

 on the toes. In colour it is generally blue or mealy, but I have seen 

 turbit marked ones, with bronzed black shoulders. Its feathering is 

 analogous to that of the frizzled fowls or Sebastopol geese, that is, 

 reverted, making it appear to have been out in a storm. This appear- 

 ance is owing to the concave surface of the feathers, more especially 

 those of the wing coverts and back, being outward instead of inward, 

 or next the body, as in other pigeons. On its re-introduction into 

 England, where it has not been very uncommon for some years back, 

 and where it has done some winning in the "Any other variety" classes, 

 it was called by the name of another pigeon, one of an opposite character 



