66 THE PIGEON STANDARD. 
THE SHOW HOMER. 
Head.—The head is one of the most important features, and 
requires each part to be separately described. When 
looked at from a side view it should form a perfectly 
even and unbroken curve from the back of the skull 
to the tip of the beak. From the front or top each 
side of the face should be well filled, the front and 
top skull also forming an unbroken curve from side 
to side. 
The beak should be black, both mandibles stout, but 
not massive, and so set that it does not interfere with 
the perfect curve of head. The edge of under man- 
dible must be quite straight, and both fit closely to- 
gether. From the tip of beak to corner of the eye it 
should measure about 1% inches. 
Wattle.—This should be white, smooth, and fine in texture, 
and shaped in the form of the letter V, the upper 
portion being clean cut out, and not filledin. With 
age there isa tendency to growth, but it should be 
only very slight, and for several years it should 
maintain naturally a fine and smooth appearance. 
No jewing should appear on the under mandible. 
The eye should beset as nearly as possible in the 
centre of the head, should be pearly white in color, 
bright and sparkling, giving the bird a wild appear- 
ance, as if always on the alert. 
Cere.—This should be damson black, very fine and hard, 
having the appearance of a fine silk cord encircling 
the eye, and although therc is a slight tendency to 
growth, the cere should remain naturally fine and 
dark for several years. In the lighter colors, such 
as silvers and yellows, the beak and cere are mostly 
light in color; but it would bea great improvement 
if they could be got dark, as the mealies. 
Throat.—The throat must be clean cut out and perfectly free 
from thickness or gullet. 
Neck.—The neck should be short, thick at the base, but 
Beak. 
Eye. 
