270 



BIRDS 



enjoyed a revival. It is a pigeon of great merit as a high 

 flyer and it is to be hoped that it will now be restored to its 

 former rank. The Cumulet is rather larger than a Tumbler, 

 slender in body, and with long, narrow head and beak. The 

 eye is noted for the unusual size and clearness of the white 

 iris. The color is either pure white, or, more commonly, 

 white lightly ticked with pale red. 



The Nun 



The Nun, like most of the marked pigeons, is of Con- 

 tinental origin. Its Tumbler-like form and white eye indi- 

 cate a derivation from this group, but nothing definite 

 appears to be known. It is very prettily marked, the body 

 being white, while the flights, tail, head, sides of neck and 

 throat are colored. The nape carries a very large and full 

 shell crest, which should be entirely white on both surfaces, 

 Blacks are the best and the most numerous, but blues, duns, 

 reds and yellows are rapidly improving. 



The Magpie 



That the Magpie is really a modified Tumbler there can 

 be no doubt, for within the writer's memory tumbling Mag- 

 pies were frequently seen. Many of those birds were 

 crested, but the present type is plain-headed. 



The Magpie is marked somewhat like a Saddle-backed 

 Tumbler, except that the white rump and head markings are 

 lacking. The head and neck, breast to the point of the 

 sternum, the scapulars, rump and tail are colored, while 

 the remainder is white. Richness of color is a point for 

 which Magpies are famous. Blacks excel in t3^e, with 

 reds and yellows a close second. Blues, silvers, duns and 

 creams have never equaled the others, but are making 

 rapid strides. 



