184 



THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. 



appearing too long in face ; if the beak be thick enough 

 and blunt at the point, and the length of it from A to E 

 be comparatively short, while the nostril, e f, and the space D 

 be comparatively long, the bird will very probably make a good 

 one, provided e b is well filled up in front, and the head be 

 wide across at d d. In fact, with such proportions, a fair 

 length must make up best in the end, as it will make the 

 biggest head. The cheeks below the eyes should also be well 

 filled out. After a certain age the beak generally shrivels and 



Pig. 30. 



Fig. 31. 



becomes thin,, thus destroying the grand and mas.sive character 

 of the head. Hence a time comes when the finest bird must 

 yield his place to younger rivals. 



We have already said that this masswe convexity being the 

 main property of a good Antwerp head, if the profile in Fig. 25 

 were shortened it would be spoilt. This will be seen on com- 

 paring the foregoing figures with Figs. -30 and 31, which 

 show exactly such a head as many judges used to think-yfaB 

 desired by Antwei-p fanciers. We have purposely chosen one 

 of the best of this type, so as to make the comparison most 

 fnirly ; but Jiave seen, years ago, prizes given to far w6r.se. It 

 iviU be seen at once that this is an Ovvly head ; and of course 



