OTHER BREEDS OF UTILITY PIGEONS 59 



black or gray and black feathers only. The beak and claws 

 should be clean but slightly darker than those of the whites. 

 The legs and feet are clean and free from feathers. They have 

 pearl eyes. 



Selfs 



All selfs should be of a solid uniform color all over the body. 

 They should have no mixtures or other colored feathers on their 

 body. They should be clean, clear and without smokiness. 

 Rumps should also be clean and of the same color as the other 

 part of the body. The beak, claws and feet should be clean. 

 All colored selfs should have pearl eyes. 



Yellow Runts 



Yellows should be a solid uniform color throughout. They 

 should not be too pale nor should they approach tlie red. The 

 beak and claws are clean and have no marks on them. They 

 should be a pale pink. Legs and feet are clean. Some faults 

 are ashy rump and dark marks on the beak or white feathers 

 in flights or tail. Sometimes the young have whitish feathers 

 in the flights or the tail, but they generally disappear after the 

 first moult, if not, then eliminate the bird. Never mate two 

 pale yellows. Never mate yellow to l)lack nor yellows to birds 

 with barred wings. 



Red Runts 



The reds ishould be of a rich chestnut red over the whole body, 

 including flights and tail. The beak and claws are rather of a 

 flesh color. Faults are smoky rump, dull red or too pale a red. 

 The only way to secure good reds is to breed from red matings. 

 I never had a good red from anything but two good reds, and 

 well selected reds at that. Good reds are the most difficult of all 

 Runts to breed. Red hens run rather too small. Never mate a 

 red to birds with barred win^s. 



Black Runts 



The best blacks are those with a brilliant neck as low down 

 as their breast (a reflecting beetle green). The beak and claws 

 are pale pink as far as possible. Nearly all blacks have beaks 



