345 THE SHORT-FACED TUMBLER. 



parties, it never can look well without good carriage. Shape 

 and carriage have been called one and the same thing ; but a 

 bird may have all the necessary conformation, and yet lack 

 that spirit and vivacionsness which enable it to carry itself 

 properly. The Almond shows best when salacious, and when 

 driving his hen to nest. 



Beak. — Two distinct forms of beak are seen in Short-faces, 

 and that which is most generally admired, and which I 

 admire, is what is known as the " goldfinch beak," which is 

 formed like that of the well-known song bird. The gold- 

 finch beak, from its shape, is generally longer, and more in- 

 clined to keep growing at the point, than the other form, 

 which more resembles a grain of barley, dipping a little 

 at the end. The goldfinch form is, however, so distinct from 

 the beak of any other variety of pigeon, that, in my opinion, 

 it is the most worthy of encouragement; but whichever style 

 of beak a Short-face may have, it must be straight out 

 from its head, with neither an upward nor downward inclina- 

 tion, and as short and fine as possible. The beak wattle 

 should be small, and delicate in appearance, any coarseness 

 being considered a great fault. 



Head. — The head ought to be very lofty, broad, and over- 

 hanging the beak, if it can be got so. Though the skull itself 

 may not do so, the feathers growing out from the forehead some- 

 times give it that appearance in a fine bird, which then has a 

 deep stop, or indentation, at the root of the beak. The head 

 itself ought to be round from all points of view ; and, when the 

 cheek feathers are puffed out, or muffed, as it is called, it adds 

 wonderfully to the natty appearance of the Short-face. 



Eye. — The iris ought to be white or pearl coloured, and 

 surrounded by a fine and narrow eye wattle, of which the 

 less there is the better. A full and prominent eye adds 

 greatly to the appearance. The faults of eye are a reddish 

 pearl, a dusky or clouded iris, and a broken iris, which looks 

 very bad, and spoils the appearance of any bird. 



