2H0 Pjgeons and All About Them. 



m:indible of the beak is white, the Uiwer one being 

 (lark. The colours are reds, blacks, \ello\\"S, sih'ers, 

 and chequers. 



THE M0DEN.4. 



This, one of the most charming and beautiful 

 breeds c\'er introduced to England has made rapid 

 strides in popularitj' during the twentieth century. 

 .Alany years ago it secured a number of adherents, and 

 classes were provided for it, but its popularity waned 

 until about the year 1910 when a decided impetus was 

 gueii to It b>- the advent at the Crystal Palace Show 

 of a number of birds from Belgium. Since then the 

 ?ilodcna has made one huge triumphant progress, and 

 before its charms have fallen men who have been life- 

 long adherents of such diverse breeds as Carriers, 

 Dragoons, Owls, Llagpies, and Orientals. To-day 

 there are few shows without classes for the ^lodena, 

 and at our large shows the\' secure a very extended 

 classification. It is a smart neat bodied Pigeon, 

 something like the Leghorn Runt in shape and car- 

 nage, but is not so large or stout in body neither 

 does it possess the tremulous action of the Leghorir 

 Runt nor its extremely high cocked tail. To attempt 

 to speak of the colours of the IModena in a small hand- 

 book of this character would be to attempt the im- 

 ]iossib]e, so great is the diversity and multiplicity of 

 its colouring and marking, the ground colours which 

 are many being laced, chequered, and variegated in 

 the most wonderful manner. 



It has been said that there are o\-er one hundred 

 and iifty divisions of colour, evenly divided between 

 the Sells — Schietti — and the pieds — Gazzi or iNlagpies. 

 In addition to the Schietti and Gazzi there is the 

 ?\lagnani, which is a mixture of colours somewhat 

 like a Roman pa\-ement, or a patcliwork quilt, or which 

 may be described as marbled. Wonderfully weird 

 and fascinating arc the endless markings and colour- 

 ings of the ^Nlodena. On the Continent the birds are 

 invariably classed in the Hen Pigeon Section with 

 the ?\Iakese, Teghorn Runts, Florentines, etc., 

 and there much is made of the peculiar carriage 



