MAGPIES AND RUNTS. 193 



and can be bred as usual. The marking breeds, as a rule, very 

 true ; and it will give little trouble to preserve, provided the 

 higher-cut birds are selected— that is, those in which the 



Leghorn Runt. 



colour on the breast ends rather high up. The Magpie is a 

 veiy free and hardy breeder and good feeder, but apt to be a 

 little wild. Kindness will get over this, and those of a quiet 

 disposition make capital nurses. 



Runts are the giants of the pigeon family, few birds being 

 ever exhibited under 2 lbs. weight. Moore mentions several 

 varieties, and one of them, known as the Leghorn Runt, seems 

 N 



