y UD GING T UR BITS. 
297 
deep Blue with signs of black in it, and the Blue-chequer — are the only proper matches for faulty- 
barred Silvers; and being too dark', or having too much black, while the pale-barred Silver has not 
enough, they will often correct each other and breed very well-barred birds. We note this, because 
while it is much better to breed with good colours, and such produces what is sought much the 
soonest, these faulty colours give a chance when so used to the poor fancier, who can buy such 
at a lower price, and thus with more time attain the same end. For our own part, we would never 
breed Silvers or for Silvers at all, considering it as only a light and bastard Blue, were it not for 
one point in which it surpasses the Blue, and which makes it valuable as a cross. That point is, 
cleanness of thigh and number of flights, in which it often surpasses the Blue. We have often 
found Silvers with some of the inner flights white as well as the outer, and such are of course 
valuable for crossing with foul-thighed birds. For this reason alone it is sometimes worth while to 
breed Silvers with Blues; otherwise, they come quite often enough even when breeding Blues 
together, without the trouble of breeding for them. As to Silvers with yellow or brown bars, they 
are not in our opinion exhibition birds at all, but should be confined to stud purposes only. 
As hinted at the beginning of this chapter, there are Turbits of other colours than those now 
mentioned, and which form the standard varieties. There are whole-coloured Blues with black 
bars, and also Blues with cream-coloured bars, sometimes called “ white ” bars, but this is a mis- 
nomer. Although these have the peak, they are by their whole colour as near the Owl as the 
Turbit, and might perhaps be better termed peak-crested Owls. We believe that nearly all such 
birds are in fact half-bred pigeons, as we have known several actually produced by people who 
matched the two breeds up with the hope of getting the Turbit markings with the superior head of 
the Owl. We have seen this nearly accomplished in Blues, but the colour of beak and eye in the 
Blue Owl is more difficult to get rid of than the colour of the plumage, and is rather conspicuous 
on account of the Turbit’s white beak. We have never seen such experiments followed up as they 
might be ; but they suggest means by which we might probably produce something beyond any 
Turbit yet shown; the Owl’s head, though of the same character, being more perfectly developed 
than in any Turbit we have seen. What might be called an ideal or perfect specimen of 
the Turbit would be, in fact, a fair-sized white African Owl, with good head, but with the 
peak and markings of the Turbit. There is in the White Owl all that is wanted but these two 
qualities, in greater perfection than any of our present Turbits, particularly as regards diminutive 
size, and frill ; also colour of eye. We believe indeed, as already noted, that the original Turbit 
was produced from the Owl, by crossing it with the Capuchin or some similar bird, which would 
account for the majority of the best birds, and the oldest strains especially, being shell-crested. 
There is even another variety of the Turbit, called the Plain-headed, which has no crest at all, but 
is in every respect like a large Owl with the Turbit markings, so that each link in the connection 
seems complete. It would therefore be well worth while to breed good Turbit cocks with 
moderate-sized White Owl hens, in order to improve the size, head and beak points, and frill. We 
say moderate-sized hens simply to secure their being breeders, the smaller ones being notoriously 
uncertain in this respect, and perfect fecundity being especially desirable in all crosses, that the 
breeder may have more room for his selections. Colour being chiefly derived from the male, the 
Turbit markings we may expect to be preserved in a fair proportion of the progeny ; and judicious 
experiments of this kind, persevered in, would probably soon produce all that can be imagined in 
the Turbit pigeon. 
JUDGING TURBITS. — Turbits require careful scrutiny in judging as regards two points 
especially — colour and crest. The colour desired is so rich that dyeing is sometimes attempted, 
38 
