NUNS, HELMETS, AND SPOTS. 1G3 



information received, in order to keep the breed as pure as possible, I disposed of 

 all my other varieties of pigeons, and left a pair of black-headed Nuns the sole 

 occupants of my pigeon-house. Remarkably content and happy they were, and at 

 first bred me mostly foul-feathered birds, but I have gone on breeding in-and-in, and 

 am able to report decided progress, the Nuns I have bred this year being better in 

 their hoods, and far freer from foul feathers than any I have had before ; in fact, 

 my nunnery can now boast of Nuns ' Superior.' I have bred almost all my prize 

 birds from a cock with seven black flights in each wing, and a very good hen, but 

 was unable to exhibit her, as she had seven black flights in one wing, and only five 

 in the other. She has bred me twenty-three birds in two years and a half, and 

 only one pair have been, like herself, short in the number of the dark flight feathers. 

 My prize Nuns at Birmingham, in 1865, were bred by her during that year, and 

 they had six flights in each wing, which I believe to be the correct number. Tho 

 Nuns I won with at Birmingham in 1866, were likewise her progeny ; but I have 

 the majority of my birds with more than six dark flights ; still, in my opinion, six 

 denote perfection. These flights in the wing, together with the tail, should be jet 

 black ; the hood white and full ; the eye, though dark at first, becomes pearl 

 with age. 



"Cleanliness is very essential to them ; mine have a bath twice a week, constructed 

 of a good-sized earthen pan, placed inside a larger tin one, which receives the 

 greater part of the water splashed over, and thereby the floor of the pigeon-house 

 is kept comparatively dry. After the young ones are hatched, I have their nest- 

 pans changed frequently ; thus they are kept sweet and clean and free from para- 

 sites. The water in their fountains is changed every morning, and the fountains 

 well rinsed out. Their food consists all the year round of white peas and small 

 round Indian corn mixed together, of which they always have a plentiful supply in 

 a pan on the floor ; by this means the young ones are never at a loss for food, and 

 arrive sooner at maturity. In one of my prize pens this year, the hen was only 

 three months old. They are particularly fond of rock salt, a lump of which is 

 likewise kept in a pan on the floor. I occasionally give them a grass sod, which 

 they much enjoy, especially when the grass is in seed. My Nuns being always 

 confined to the house, I have the floor covered with dry earth, mixed with coarse 

 gritty sand ; this is frequently swept from the floor, and fresh dry earth sub- 

 stituted. I attribute the excellent state of health which my birds have always 

 enjoyed mainly to cleanliness. 



" I have often tried to obtain either really good yellow-headed or red-headed 

 Nuns, but in vain ; the reds I am afraid are an extinct race. So much more 

 success than I ever anticipated has attended my keeping my Nuns by themselves, 

 and allowing them to mate as they choose, that I can only advise other amateurs 

 to adopt the same method, where it is practicable." 



We believe that very good red and yellow-headed Nuns are still to be obtained 

 on the Continent, but it is a long time since any good birds of these colours have 

 been exhibited in England. 



