S (/ASIANS. 
347 
heads and necks, flights and tails, and others upon which, throughout the entire plumage, 
complete variegation is traceable. All such are Suabians, perfect or imperfect, whether with their 
plain, unattractive nestling feathers or during their transition state or change of feather, for bear 
in mind, they often vary at each successive moult ; still the perfect ones are, as a rule, those 
upon which a complete display of variegation, plain, black-and-white, or tri-coloured chequering 
is observable. There are what may be termed black-spangled, in which black and white only 
form the attractive chequered plumage, and others upon which a bronzed appearance pervades the 
entire feathering. I will first describe the former kind. It is quite a matter of choice or specula- 
tion which is the more beautiful; both are peculiarly attractive and pleasing in appearance, and for 
breeding purposes necessary to each other. 
“The illustration represents a heavily-spangled ‘crested’ bird, upon which will be seen a 
crescentic-shaped course of spangling around the neck, down the breast, and upon the top of head 
a regular sprinkling of fine white markings. Upon the lower web of each of the primary flight- 
feathers (which are black) also is a distinct, well-defined, oval-shaped spot of white. This 
important point greatly enhances the value of the specimen, and adds very materially to its 
beauty. The tail should be black, and in the very best of specimens there should also be a white 
band near to its extremity, as in Blondinettes and Satinettes, but this is rarely seen, but is a great 
point of merit when obtained, not only as adding to the grandeur of that particular part, but birds 
so marked upon the primary tail-feathers are sure to possess body-markings to an extraordinary 
degree of regularity and fair intermixture of colour ; besides, these tail-marked birds when in flight 
are most conspicuously attractive and beautiful. The head is black in some specimens, finishing 
off and merging into white at the middle part of neck ; and in others terminating to about the 
same line as a Nun, the black merging gradually into the white ; the breast, thighs, vent- 
covering, rump, and inside of wings and body-feathering, should be chiefly black, but with fair 
traces of white spangling throughout the whole — such may in most specimens be indistinct, but 
still they should be there ; thus are the Black-spangled Suabians disposed of, whose composition 
is simply black-and-white feathering. The Bronzy birds are exactly as the aforenamed, 
with the addition of a bronzy hue being observable upon all the darker parts, and the lighter 
portions, too, are of a delicate creamy tinge. These birds are very pretty, and present, upon 
the whole, a very rich and mellow effect. When the primary flights are outstretched, there 
should be seen a complete intermixture of colours — black, brown, and pale creamy tint, 
the tips of each primary being black, which, when closed, show upon the surface an entire 
black flight ; the rump is dark, and the tail is bronzy black. Of the Suabian kind there are 
‘ Shell -crowned,’ ‘Point-crested,’ and ‘Plain-headed,’ feather or clean-legged. If ‘crowned,’ 
the feathers should form a clear, evenly-edged segment of a circle, neither unbroken nor 
indented on its surface or ridge. If point-crested, such should be upright, well raised, sharp- 
pointed, and perfectly central. If plain-headed, perfect smoothness is necessary. If feather- 
legged, completely clothed to the toes. If ‘clean-legged,’ not the ghost of a feather observable ; 
and these last remarks apply equally to all the varieties with which I am dealing. Of 
the heavy or profuse leg-feathered sorts, I shall have more to say in the proper place; 
suffice to say here that of the feather-legged birds neither Hyacinth, Victorias, Suabian, Porce- 
lain, Priest, Starling, or Frillback are profusely feathered, but have mere slight but entirely 
close leg-covering, or ‘ slippers,’ extending to the toes. The eye of the Suabian is orange-red, 
the beak and nails black. Clean-legged birds form the majority. Feather or plain leg are 
equally worthy and admirable as show birds, but must be all one or the other, and not in 
‘ pins ’ and patches. 
