The Barb Pigeon. 243 



Beoi WoMle. — At maturity the beak wattle ought to have filled np all 

 inequality in the curve of the forehead and upper mandible, and it may 

 stand out a little in addition ; but it ought to be as free as possible from 

 rough wartiness, and show a clean division in the middle, appearing like 

 a small bean split open and laid across the beak. The jew wattle on the 

 under mandible should not be excessive, but of course grows to a certain 

 extent in such a pigeon as the barb. It should appear as three small 

 warts, one in the middle of the lower mandible, where the feathers finish 

 off, and the others on each side below the opening of the mouth. The 

 beak wattle in a healthy bird is nearly white, the jew wattle and comers 

 of the mouth being of a reddish fiesh colour. 



Tiije Wattle. — This is one of the chief properties of the barb. It con- 

 tinues growing till the bird ia from three to four years of age, when it 

 ought to be at itg best. It should be of an equal breadth aU 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 

 outside 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 contracted, which is the opposite of 

 what is wanted. 



Colour. — The barb ia a self-coloured pigeon, and is found in black, 

 red, yellow, dun, and white. Blue is rare, but is occasionally seen on the 

 continent ; in this country I have only heard of one or two of such colour. 

 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 eisiest 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 



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