August 2G. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
345 
bird suffers more. It sometimes happens that the young 
pigeons die at the expiration of a few days ; in this case, the 
parents are still liable to this complaint. The amateur 
must watch them then with as much care as if they had 
nourished them for a shorter time. 
(To be continued.) 
DOMESTIC PIGEONS. 
TWENTY-FOURTH RACE. 
Swiss Pigeon ( Columba Helvetia). —It is about the size 
of the Stockdove, and as light; its beak is thin ; it has no 
filament round the eyes; the plumage is generally streaked 
with red, blue, or yellow, on a white ground; it frequently 
has one or two rings, and a breastpiece of a brown-red, and 
two ribbons on the wings, the same colour as the breast- 
piece. Pure specimens are become very rare, because it 
has been blended with the Carriers and Tumblers. It is 
only by means of art and patience that we have been able 
to recover them by crossing different varieties among them¬ 
selves, or with Mixtures of a rich colour. The common 
Swiss pigeon, and the One-coloured Swiss pigeon only differ 
from the English Tumbler in having a much longer beak 
and no streaks on their plumage. 
Common Swiss Pigeon ( Columba Helvetia vulgaris ).— 
The eye with a golden iris; the plumage partaking of all 
the colours mentioned above; a necklace and breastpiece 
of a brownish-red; wings barred, not streaked, and the 
same colour as the body. 
One-coloured Swiss Pigeon ( Columba Helvetia uni¬ 
color). —This has no necklace or breastpiece; it is slate- 
coloured, and the whole body is of the same colour. 
Golden-collared Swiss Pigeon (Columba Helvetia tor- 
quata inaurata). —These beautiful birds have a bluish head ; 
the neck and breast of a brilliant metallic yellow ; the back 
inclined to yellow, but spotted with grey; the wing and tail 
bluish. 
Orange-streaked Swiss Pigeon ( Columba Helvetia lineata 
aurea). —The eye with a black iris; back and neck of a 
clear blue ; breast of a reddish-brown ; two orange-coloured 
bars extending like a ribbon across the wings, the bottoms 
of which are white. It is very productive. 
Golden-spotted Swiss Pigeon (Columba Helvetia badia 
aurata). —The plumage is blue; the flight and tail of a 
blackish-blue. There are some inclined to yellow, and have 
the breast twice gilt, or else they have the back of a light 
mahogany colour, and the breast of a golden brown, with a 
slight breastpiece more clear. Others have the back of a dull 
mahogany colour; the neck and breast of a beautiful change¬ 
able colour, approaching, says M. Vieillot, a plum colour or 
violet-brown. 
White-marbled Swiss Pigeon (Columba Helvetia alba 
mustellata). —This breed, which is more rare and handsome 
than the preceding, differs from it in its cloak, and the 
upper part of its wings, which are inclined to white, with 
brown marblings, which does not produce a more agreeable 
effect. 
Blue Swiss Pigeon (Columba Helvetia cceruleata ).—This 
very much resembles the One-coloured Swiss, but it is slate- 
coloured, inclining much more to blue. It frequently has 
two ribbons on its wings, the same shade as the necklace 
and breastpiece. These five last varieties are the most 
brilliant in colour that can be found in all the vast tribe of 
pigeons. 
(To be continued.) 
HOLLYHOCK SEED. 
I would offer, for the benefit of the purchasers, as a use¬ 
ful hint to those parties who save Hollyhock seed for sale, 
not to mix the seeds of the different sorts. How are parties 
to plant out their seedlings with any degree of taste when 
they are so mixed? By being mixed, perhaps, just where 
you want a variety of colour, there you may have three 
or four of the same tint. Let the seedsmen put the different 
sorts in different packets, and mark them with their true 
names. We shall then not only see that we have been 
treated fairly, but avoid a great amount of ignorance when 
we are asked their names, and do not know them.— S. Day. 
[It is desirable that the seeds saved from varieties of the 
same colour should be kept by themselves, because the 
chances are that the colour of the parent will prevail in the 
seedlings raised from it. Our correspondent, however, must 
be aware that cross impregnations, and the sporting habit of 
the flower, will forbid any certainty being attained as to the 
colour that will appear in the seedling flowers.—E d. C. G.] 
DORKINGS—PREEERENCE OF VARIETIES. 
The intelligent correspondence of Mr. Wingfield, and 
“ Gallus," has much interested me. In reply to the query 
of “ Gallus,” I beg to state, that although my Dorking 
fowls are highly bred, and handsome birds of their class, 
they have not been “bred in and in,” and yet this year, 
three-fourths of the progeny are deficient of the fifth claw. 
Some of the birds had six claws on one foot, and four on 
the other; many had only four claws on each foot; but still 
more had five claws on one foot, and four on the other. 
With respect to the controversy, as to which is the more 
profitable breed, I think it mainly depends on two circum- 
| stances. 
First. As to the quality of the special kind kept. And 
Secondly. As to whether eggs or chickens are in greatest 
demand in the neighbourhood in which the poultry-keeper 
resides. Thus, in my own case, the Dorking fowls lay very 
muck larger eggs than the Spanish fowl; the Dorking eggs 
weighing upwards of three ounces, the Spanish not more 
than 2f ounces, and frequently not so heavy ; and as this is 
not a general law, I infer that the Spanish are of inferior 
character, although possessing the external characteristics 
of their breed in perfection—such as very white faces, large, 
deeply-indented combs, and plumage of raven blackness. 
The Dorkings are first rate birds of their class, weighing as 
much as many Cochin-Chinas. 
The Spanish have laid eggs daily, since January last, 
without wanting to sit; on the other hand, the Dorking 
chickens grow rapidly, are soon ready for the table, and 
when there, outvie the whole race of Cochins, Malays, 
Spanish, Poland, or any other breed. 
Individually, I am simply an amateur of poultry, having in 
separate yards, at this moment, Game, Spanish, Dorking, 
Silver-spangled Hamburghs, and black Bantams ; but I do 
not hesitate to declare, that for purposes of general profit 
to the farmer, the brown-speckled Dorking, is, as yet, un¬ 
approachable. 
I trust, however, that this assertion will be leniently dealt 
with by your able correspondent, Anster Bonn; if other¬ 
wise, so be it, for I cannot but think that your friend 
“ Thomas,” truthfully represented the “ Cochins,” when he 
said—“ They eats too much, lays too small eggs ;....! 
and folks don’t like eating these fowls; they say they are 5 
like parrots." Another great defect, in this climate, is, that I 
they are so long without feathers ; for the first ten or twelve 
weeks of their existence they make one shiver, from the 
combined effect of their ugliness and destitution.—J. 
Hitchman, M.D., Miclcleover, near Derby. 
