162 PIGEONS. 



in the fields. Their plumage is beautifully white, the extremities only being 

 coloured ; the crown of the head, face, and a small portion of the upper part of the 

 throat is dark, and at the back of the head is a nice white turned crown, which 

 gives the bird the appearance of wearing a dark veil and white hood, from which 

 circumstance it derives the name of Nun. The twelve tail feathers, and a few of 

 the tail-coverts, as also from seven to ten flight feathers in each pinion are dark of 

 the same colour as the head, either black, blue, red, or yellow ; and they are 

 designated black-headed or yellow-headed Nuns, as the case may be : but black- 

 headed Nuns are by far the most common ; the body should be perfectly white, any 

 dark or ' foul ' feathers among the white, or white where they should be black, 

 are fatal blemishes ; the hood, too, should be perfectly white, so as to contrast well 

 with the dark visage, and not lined with dark feathers, as is sometimes the case. 

 The German Nuns differ from the English in having white flights, and are there 

 called ' Bard Tauben,' or Beard pigeons." 



The Bev. E. S. Dixon substantially repeats Moore's account of the birds of this 

 breed, but adds the following paragraph : — • 



" ' The most beautiful specimens,' says Temminck, 'are those which are black, 

 but have the quill feathers and the head white; they are called Nonnains-Maurins.' 

 But the most usual sort — and exceedingly pretty birds they are — are what Buffon 

 styles ' coquille hollandais,' or Dutch shell pigeons, ' because they have, at the 

 back of their head, reversed feathers, which form a sort of shell. They are also of 

 short stature. They have the head black, the tip (the whole? ) of the tail and the 

 ends of the wings (quill feathers) also black, and all the rest of the body white. 

 This black-headed variety so strongly resembles the Tern (hirondelle de mer) that 

 some persons have given it that name.'" 



We have quoted this in order to note the errors it contains, which if uncontra- 

 dicted might lead to misconception. Temminck does not allude to the variety 

 known as Nuns, but under the title of " Pigeon Nonnain " describes the Jacobine ; 

 and the passage which Mr. Dixon quotes is applicable to black Jacobines, and 

 not to Nuns. 



Buffon is also in error in stating that the name of Tern, or Sea-swallow, has 

 been given to the Nun, it having been bestowed on a very distinct variety. 



Nuns usually constitute a favourite class at the pigeon shows, but from the 

 tendency of the black and white feathers to intermix at the turn-crown, they are 

 generally subject to a certain amount of manipulation before exhibition, which 

 is alluded to in the following communication on this breed, which we have been 

 favoured with by the Rev. A. G. Brooke, one of the most ardent admirers and 

 successful breeders of this variety : — 



'"An uncommonly well-trimmed class of Nuns,' used generally to greet my ears 

 at various shows, and, to be candid, as far as mine were concerned, I could but 

 plead guilty to the fact that trimmed they were. How to breed them for exhibi- 

 tion free from foul feathers was a puzzle to me. Having, however, a great partiality 

 for Nuns, about four years ago, as a last resort, from observation rather than from 



