280 FANCY PIGEONS. 



the jew wattle and corners of the mouth being of a reddish 

 flesh colour. 



EYE WATTLE. This is one of the chief properties of the 

 Barb. It continues growing till the bird is from three to four 

 years of age, when it ought to be at its best. It should be 

 of an equal breadth all round, and, consistent with roundness, 

 the larger in diameter the better. It ought to be thickest at 

 its outer edge, and of a concave form, or shaped like the out- 

 side of a cart wheel, the eye being represented by the nave, 

 which stands out in the centre. The more prominent or less 

 sunken in the head the eye is, the better. The colour of the 

 eye wattle ought to be bright red; with age it often becomes 

 light, sometimes turning almost white. 



The hen is generally less developed in all head properties 

 than the cock, though hens have been seen good enough to 

 be mistaken for cocks when exhibited. Before a hen can 

 reach such quality she is generally past breeding, Looked 

 at in front, the Barb's head ought to be very square and 

 blunt, the tops of the eye wattles reaching higher than the 

 skull, and standing away from it. When they incline towards 

 each other by rolling over the skull, the head appears con- 

 tracted, which is the opposite of what is .wanted. 



COLOUR. The Barb is a self-coloured pigeon, and is found 

 in black, red, yellow, dun, and white. Blue is rare, but is 

 occasionally seen on the Continent. I think the red eye wattle 

 would harmonise very well with the blue colour. The black 

 is the most usual colour, and it can often be found good, 

 being the easiest of the artificial colours to breed; at the 

 same time, it is not found with such vivid green, metallic 

 lustre, as in some other varieties. Black may look very well, 

 and yet be far from the best possible tint. What the best 

 Barb black is in reality may be seen by looking at the reds 

 and yellows of the same relationship. The latter colours are 

 not found very good in Barbs, the red usually falling off very 

 much in colour towards the rump, flights, tail, and under body. 



