The Jacobin. 203 



jeoting over each eye like two small horns ; but this is only seen in 

 broad-skuUed, short-faced birds, and not always in them. They are 

 qnite a peculiarity of the breed. The forehead must be broad and 

 prominent, well rounded ia profile from the crown to the beak wattle> 

 and not showing a stop as in the short-faced tumbler. A narrow skull, and 

 run out or mousey head, is a great fault. 



Beak. — This should be short and rather thick at its base, but coming 

 to a fine point with a downward inclination. The true beak is diffe- 

 rently formed from that of the owl tribe, not being so blunt and thick 

 at the tip, and the beak wattle should be fine and smooth. Any 

 gullet is faulty, though it is sometimes found in good birds. 



Eye. — The irides should be of a pure pearly white colour, but have 

 often a reddish tinge round their outer circles. Clouded or dusky pearl, 

 yellow, red, broken, and entirely dark or bull eyes, are all found in 

 jacobins, and are all to be avoided. Bad as a bull eye looks, it can 

 often be bred out easier than a yellow one, if it has not existed to any 

 great extent in the strain. The eye wattle ought to be broad, and of a 

 bright red colour. I have seen the wattle almost, if not quite, a quarter 

 of an inch in breadth. In richness of colour, it follows the quality of 

 colour in the feather. Bad blacks, reds, or yellows, do not have a deep 

 red eye wattle, though a strawberry bred from a rich black and red 

 may, and such a wattle on a strawberry would indicate that it was of a 

 good-coloured strain. I look on the broad bright red eye wattle as a 

 great attraction in an otherwise good bird. 



Legs and Feet. — Although the jacobin may be got with feathered legs, 

 such a variety having existed for centuries, being mentioned by Aldro- 

 vandns, WiUughby, and Moore, our standard permits only smooth legs 

 and feet, which should be small, neat, and bright red in colour. 



Quality of Feather. — The feathers should be soft and silky, of great 

 length, and making the bird appear larger and heavier than it should 

 prove ,181 being handled. The flights should extend considerably beyond 

 the tail, as much as an inch when the bird is in the hand, though 

 usually not to such an extent when it ia at liberty, but the longer they 

 are the better. 



Hood. — The hood is the property of utmost consequence in the jaco- 

 bin. It is formed by the feathers round the back of the head and upper 

 neck all growing forward. The feathers of the head do not, in a good 



