The Breeds of Pigeons. 221 



In size the Swallow- is medium ; in shape the head 

 is somewhat flat and rises abruptly from the beak ; 

 the body is round and plump, ^\•ith a short slender 

 neck ; the neck and back are broad, with prominent 

 shoulders, the legs somewhat short, gi\ing- Ihe bird 

 a squfwtty appearance, It is shell crested, and heavily 

 feathered on the legs. 



The markings are a dark cap, which should run 

 horizontally in a line with the centre of the eve, and 

 extend from the beak back to the shell ; the upper 

 mandible is also dark; the whole oi the A\ings and 

 shoulders should be coloured, also the hocks and foot 

 feathering ; the rest of the bird should be A\hite. The 

 foot feathering is not very long, but the longer and 

 more perfect it is, the more valuable is the bird from 

 an exhibition standpoint. 



THE FAIRY SWALLOW. 



These are g'enerallv styled by English fanciers 

 Spot Fairies, and it is a much controverted point as 

 to whether they are Swallows or not. Some writers 

 class them as such, whilst others object to such 

 classification. 



In shape, carriage, and feather they resemble the 

 Swallo^vs ; they are, however, more profusely 

 feathered, and the markings are different. Instead 

 of the dark cap of the Swallow the Fairy has onlv an 

 oval spot on the forehead. The shoulders and wings 

 should be dark, and the whole of the long foot 

 feathering. The wing bars and all the rest of the 

 plumage is white. The most common colours are 

 blacks and blues, although reds, vellows, and 

 chequers are sometimes seen. Some are laced upon 

 the shoulders, and the flights tipped with an oval 

 white spot. The eyes are dark, as is the upper 

 mandible in blacks; in the other colours it is of a light 

 horny tint. 



The chief points are richness of colour, clearness 

 of marking, shape and carriage of shell, and length 

 of foot feathering. 



