194 FANCY PIGEONS. 



cent, of a lot survive the first month of their residence here. 

 They are very delicate pigeons, but, when acclimatised, are 

 fairly hardy, and good breeders. I have bred them in this 

 country, as well as in India, where they do very well. 



In detailing the properties of the African, or Tunisian Owl, 

 I may say, that the nearer all the frill-breasted, gulleted pigeons 

 approach the ideal standard of conformation, the better they 

 are. Some fanciers agree with me, others do not. Under each 

 variety I shall describe the various differences of feather, size, 

 &c.^which constitute them separate breeds. 



SIZE. The African Owl is the smallest domestic pigeon 

 known. A good pair will weigh about lib., and hens are 

 sometimes found under 7oz. in weight. The smaller they are 

 the more they are valued, if good in the various properties 

 which fanciers admire. 



SHAPE. Short in neck, broad-chested, short in nights and 

 tail, the legs long enough to make the thighs visible in pro- 

 file, the back rather hollow, and the rump rather full. 



CARRIAGE, very erect, the head carried well up, and the chest 

 full and prominent. 



HEAD, as round as possible, both from the nape to the beak 

 wattle, and from eye to eye. The prevailing fault in the head 

 is more or less flatness on the crown, and there is often a 

 prominence at the back, which is undesirable. The forehead 

 very broad and prominent; the cheeks full. 



BEAK, short and thick, the upper mandible as much as 

 possible in the same curve as the head, so that, from the nape 

 to the point of the beak, a half-circle should be described. The 

 under mandible should approach the upper in consistency 

 as much as possible, and fit closely to it ; or, in the language 

 of pigeon fanciers, the beak should be "boxed." The only 

 difference between the Owl and Turbit, according to Moore, 

 was in the beak, the upper mandible of the former being 

 *' hookt over like an owl's, from whence it has its name." The 

 upper mandible in all pigeons is inclined to overlap the under 



