TURBIT AND OWL. 
827 
Jacobins are variously coloured — white and blue, white and black, 
or mottled; whatever the colour may be, however, they are not 
considered handsome, unless they have the head, tail and flight 
feathers white. The other essential points are, a small head and a 
short and spindled beak. Some are feathered to the toes, and others 
are bare, but this is not thought of much consequence. The closer 
and more compact the ' frill' or ' hood' grows, the greater the -bird 
is prized ; and on the * chum,' as the lower part of the head feathers is 
called, the feathers should be of such length as to admit of their 
being lapped over in front of the bird. 
According to a good authority, the different names given to this 
bird indicate distinct varieties ; he says, ' The Ruff is a pigeon 
very much like the Jacobite, and one which is often sold for it, but 
the true Ruff is altogether a larger bird ; it has a larger head and 
longer beak ; the chum of feathers does not flow down so near to 
its shoulders, but it is longer, and not so thick. The Capuchin may 
be considered as merely a variety of the same breed ; it is larger 
than the Jacobite, and has a longer beak ; the feathers of the rufl 
or head do not come down in the same miinner, and form a chum, 
as in the other varieties. 
THE TURBIT AND OWL. 
This variety is much like the Jacobin in shape, but differs from it 
in not having the head covering which distinguishes the latter bird ; 
it has, however, a compensation in the shape of a frilled shirt 
front, some of the breast feathers growing contrary ways, and 
standing out from the others. • 
French writers consider this bird to have greater claims to specific 
distinction than any other domestic breed ; but this opinion wants 
confirmation. 
Willoughby, who confesses himself unable to tell the meaning or 
origin of the name given to these birds, says * that they have a short 
thick bill, lilve a bullfinch ; the crown of their head is flat and 
depressed, the feathers on the breast reflected both ways. They 
are about the bigness of the Jacobins, or a little bigger.' 
Turbits are classed according to the colour of their shoulders 
as Nuns are by that of their heads. Thus we have the blue, and 
blue and yellow-shouldered Turbits; we have also birds of this 
variety all of one colour. * But,' says a recent authority, * of wholly 
white Turbits, T have never seen any that might not with equal 
propriety be called Owls ; for the distinction between the Owl and 
Turbit consists in the hind beak, gullet and frill, and although 
slight and scarcely observable to the uninstructed eye, yet there is 
sufficient difference to constitute them separate varieties. The beak 
of the Owl is more hooked, the upper mandible bending over the 
lower, which combined with their shy and wild nature, and their 
prominent-looking eyes, has given rise to their English name of 
