244 Fancy Pigeons. 



the best barb black is in reality, may be seen by looking at the reds and 

 yeUowa of the same relationship. The latter colours are not found very 

 good in barbs, the red nsually falling off very ranch in colour towards the 

 mmp, flights, tail, and underbody. The yellow may be sometimes seen 

 fairly good, it being a colour which does not look so bad, when a little 

 thin, as the red. Red, well Instred to the ends of the flights and tail, ia 

 undoubtedly the most difiicult colour to breed and to maintain in fancy 

 pigeons. Where it exists, black and yellow will be found good. Dun in 

 barbs is usually of a deep dark colour, often merging into black. Pure 

 white barbs are scarce ; they appear from time to time as albinoea, when 

 breeding from coloured birds. To breed them with coloured ones would 

 certainly result in a pied produce to a great extent, but such are not 

 wished for. By this method, however, aome specfic marking would be 

 obtainable in time, if wanted. Black, red, yellow, and dun barbs are so 

 much crossed that, when any two of them are breeding together, there ia 

 great uncertainty as to the colour of the produce? Mr. P. H. Jones, in 

 his description of this pigeon in Mr. Fulton's book, mentions having bred 

 from a pair in one season, black, red, yellow, dun, and white young ones. 

 He haa given the following measurements, &c., of the barb in the same 

 work : "Weight, 13oz. to lib. ; length, beak to tip of tail, 12|in. to 

 14in. ; inner edge of eye to tip of beak, |in. ; width of skull, a full 

 inch to 15in., measured between, not over the eye wattles; diameter of 

 eye wattle, IJ-in. ; length of limb, measured as pouters, 4^in. to 4^in. 

 These dimensions would apply to cocks, and would be a little modified 

 for hens, more especially in width of skull." He considers these meaaure- 

 menta a fair standard, though a few birds might be found to exceed them. 

 Formerly, the native breeda of the pouter, carrier, and ahort-faced 

 tumbler were regarded as the only high class pigeons ; the jacobin, 

 fantail, owl, turbit, barb, and trumpeter coming lower in the scale, and. 

 being regarded as " toys." Lately, Mr. Fulton, in his book, has removed 

 the barb from the "toy " division, and added it to the " high class " or 

 inner circle, making four varieties of the latter. For my part, I regard 

 the jacobin and all the owl family as much choicer pigeons than the 

 barb and short-faced tumbler ; but I dislike placing these various breeda 

 in any order of merit, as they are all very high class pigeons. I daresay 

 the short-faced Antwerp ia as difficult to breed to perfection as any, 

 and I have said what I think of it. The barb may bo as difiicult to 



