The Turbit Pigeon. 225 



■with no mane on the back of the neck, and this form has generally a 

 deep notch below the peak. Many of the Turkish frUled pigeons are of 

 this style, which is considered very faulty in the English turbit. The 

 peak must not incline to either side of the neck, but rise straight from 

 the middle of the nape. 



The Shell Crested Turhii. — This variety, according to Neumeister, is 

 bred largely in the North of Germany. It is not uncommon in this 

 country ; but it is not so generally fancied and bred as the peaked. The 

 shell ought to extend quite round the back of the head and be of the 

 cupped form, as in the swallow pigeon. The more extensive, even in 

 outline, and firm in texture, it is the better. There ought to be no mane 

 on the shell crested turbit. 



Many turbits are neither peak nor shell crested, but something between 

 the two. Some of these are merely the faulty produce from pure bred 

 birds of either variety ; but crossing the two kinds is apt to result in 

 badly crested birds. They ought, therefore, to be kept distinct, for the 

 mane is difficult to maintain in perfection. 



Colour. — The turbit should be entirely white with coloured shoulders. 

 The wings, including the scapular feathers, with the exception of the 

 primary flight feathers, ought to be coloured. Nothing is easier to get 

 fairly good, and yet nothing is more difficult to breed to a feather than 

 this beautiful marking. The flight feathers, generally ten a side, though 

 occasionally only nine, may often be got right ; but to have freedom 

 from foul thighs, vent feathers, or underbody, on the one hand, and no 

 white feathers on the wings, except the flights, on the other, is the great 

 difficulty. I consider that a bird quite clean below, with white wing butts, 

 looks worse than one free of white on the wings and a little foul below, 

 because bishoped wings are very glaring. With a full set of white 

 flights we almost invariably find the short coverts and adjacent feathers 

 white, thus giving a similar edging to the margin of the wing when 

 closed. To get the spurious wing coloured, which prevents white butts 

 when the wing is closed, is a very difficult matter, if the bird is 

 quite clean below. Formerly black and blue turbits had coloured tails, 

 and they often breed young ones with the tail partly so, but the coloured 

 tail is no longer considered desirable. Beds and yellows do so likewise ; 

 but in that case, the tail feathers are usually of a weak half tint only. 

 It is only lately, owing to keen competition at the numerous shows now 



Q 



