238 PIGEONS AM) ALL AIJOTT THEM. 



It is in the hocks' that trouble generally begins, for the 

 head may be solid and correct, the wings the same, and yet, 

 we find little discolorations creeping into the hock feathers. 



Again, while the swallows of long ago were all solid mark- 

 ed, save the blues, which had black wing bars, modern 

 fanciers are now producing beautiful white barred birds in 

 all colors. 



The perfect bird has the marking of the back so complete 

 tliat when the wings are folded, there is a perfect white flat- 

 iron, in shape, 011 the back. 



They should be as small as possible, as it is generally ad- 

 mitted that the smaller a toy bird can be bred the better. 

 They should be broad in chest, short neck, nice flat, broad 

 back, and a regular wedge-shaped taper clear to the end of 

 the tail. They stand low, seemingly in a douching position, 

 but the head is a dove shape (i. e. round, not flat.) 



The marking of the head should run directly in a line with 

 the beak opening, but the mark line should not affect the 

 eye, but be just over it. The upper mandible of the beak 

 will thus be colored and the lower one white. The crest is 

 a regular cup shape and should extend from eye to eye, pure 

 white, without a discoloration, and if there can be a little 

 "rose" at each end of the crest, so much the better. 



