The German Aficient. i8i 



tail, the flights and tail rather short, the legs moderately long, and the 

 thighs visible in profile. The size and general outline is very similar to 

 that of the Turkish satinettes and turbiteens. The marking is exactly the 

 same as that of the common magpie pigeon, except that on the breast 

 there is a white crescent or haK moon mark, which measures from an inch 

 to an inch and a-half between the horns. To breed this little beauty mark 

 good is a difBculty. The colours of those I saw were fine ; but the red 

 and yellow were not of the best possible tints, such as is occasionally 

 seen in certain varieties of pigeons. In addition to all the aforesaid 

 properties which go to make up a good short-faced ancient, it ought to 

 have the trembling neck described before, as possessed by the common 

 ancient ; but I believe it is rare to see this in the high class breed. 



The origin of the short-faced ancient is said to be unknown, but I think 

 it is easy to make a good guess at it. Our short-faced tumblers were 

 doubtless founded chiefly on our common tumblers, as the various colours 

 and markings in them show ; but what gave them their principal fancy 

 points of shape, carriage, and form of head, is not so easy to determine, 

 unless It was the Indian Goolee. In Germany, there are common tumblers 

 similar in aU respects to what we have, but with trembling necks ; and 

 others magpie marked with the white crescent on the breast. These 

 varieties were evidently the foundation of the ancient, and its round 

 head, full broad forehead, and large red eye wattle, were as evidently 

 derived from the barb. A well-known author on pigeons, with whom I 

 have talked the matter over, agrees with me in this idea. 



The short-faced ancient has as many fancy properties of form and 

 feather in its composition as the short-faced tumbler, though it has been 

 founded on quite diiferent lines of ideal beauty. Its beak should be 

 short, straight, and thick ; but any stop or indentation behind the wattle 

 — which causes all the mischief in our short-faces, because it tempts 

 people to make, Instead of to breed it — is no point of beauty in the 

 ancient. 



Herr Priitz says : " The principal breeder of the ancient, who possesses 

 some in all its varieties, is Herr E. Bredow, of Westend, Stettin, the only 

 place where they are bred in large numbers. It is not to be wondered at 

 that a high price is paid for them — a pair very often fetching 100 marks 

 — ^when it is considered how dif&cult it is to breed them, and what care 

 and pains have to be taken to bring the young ones through the moult." 



