140 PIGEONS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



THE OWL. 



ANOTHER of the pigeons that can well come under the 

 description " High Class Toys'' is the Owl, which for 

 years has been the embodiment of everything that is 

 neat and high bred in the way of a pet. 



One of the great points in the Owl is to breed it down in 

 size, and the standard says that the African and Chinese Owl 

 must not weigh more than ten ounces or a little more. 



The size of the body is governed of course by weight ; but 

 the body must be plump looking, though the plumage is very 

 tight and close. The flights and tail are short, and the wings 

 are well tucked up. The shoulders sit close, and the neck is 

 short and the chest broad. The carriage of the Owl is up" 

 right, the head carried well up and its appearance is rather 

 bold for so small a bird. 



The skull of the Owl is round, but it is a short and broad 

 roundness, the head looking somewhat like a globe. There 

 must be no narrowness behind the beak and no flatness on 

 the top of the skull. 



The beak is short and thick, and makes an even curve 

 down in perfect accord with the appearance of the skull. 

 The upper mandible hangs over the lower, and the more pro- 

 nounced the better. The lower mandible is very thick and 

 strong, and meets and fits well into the upper. 



The beak wattle is smooth, and, while it is pronounced, 

 cannot be very large on account of the diminutive size of the 

 bird ; yet it is one of the great points and its fulness and 

 evenness cut quite a figure in the general make up of the 

 bird. It must be very even and neatly made, and it rises 

 high from the beak, is free from any lines and dents, and 

 does its part in what is known as the "down face, ' which is 

 such a great point in the bird. 



