164 THIS PRACTICAL PIGEON KEKPEH. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



PRILLKD PIGEONS. 



Under this lieading we can conveniently group a oolleclion of 

 pigeons which very evidently have one common ancestry, though 

 they now range themselves into four tolerably distinct groups 

 or varieties. Wliether the Owl or the Turbit is the original 

 type cannot now be ascertained with any certainty, the whole 

 being of Eastern origin ; but without discussing this point, we 

 may proceed at once to describe the many different varieties as 

 (1) Owls, (2) Turbits, (3) Turbiteens, and (4) Satinettes, and 

 their sub-varieties. 



Owls have very greatly increased in popularity of late year.s. 

 They have long been known in England ; but within a year or 

 two of 1850 very superior birds were imported from Africa of 

 a much smaller size. These were called " Foreign," while the 

 others were called " English " Owls, but as they were largely 

 crossed with the latter to improve head-points and diminish 

 size, there was for a time considerable confusion. At length, 

 however, the fashion of seeking smallness in English Owls 

 ceased, and breeders endeavoured rather to produce fine 

 bold birds, since which the English Owl has greatly im- 

 proved. English Owls are coloured, but are chiefly blues and 

 silvers J and there is also a colour peculiar to them called 

 " powdered " blue or silver, which consists of a peculiar 

 *' frost " or silvery cast over the ground-colour on the head, 

 neck, and shoulders. Some think this was produced accidentally 

 by a cross of blue with silver, others that a cross with the 

 Damascene gave the "powder;" any way, the colour has ever 

 since remained in the strain, and is a favourite one. Foreign 

 Owls are generally white, blues and blacks being very rarely 

 shown ; they are desired as small as can possibly be got. 

 Other tlian the differences in size and in the usual coloui's, 



