104 THE PIGEON BOOK 



will be interesting to beginners. The accompanying 

 illustration is the best model of a perfect Show Homer I 

 have seen, and leaves little to be desired for absolute 

 perfection. 



The head is first and most important, and should form 

 one unbroken curve from tip of beak to back of skull, the 

 beak to be short and box-shaped, with nice smooth, even 

 wattle, with V-shaped division in centre, the face (i.e., 

 the portion between the beak and the eye) to be broad and 

 full, with nice arched top-skull and good back-skull ; the 

 tsye to be pretty central between the back-skull and edge 

 of wattle; the colour of the eye must be white or pearl, 

 surrounded by very little cere, which should be black or 

 damson and of fine texture; the throat well cleaned out, 

 neck of medium length, tapering well down on to a 

 broad, thick chest, showing prominent, wide shoulders ; 

 body and feather must be short and wedge-shaped, with 

 deep keel and whip tail ; colour must be sound throughout, 

 in self colours such as blues, mealies, silvers, etc. ; the 

 bars must be well defined and clear, and in chequers the 

 more distinct the chequering the better, which should be 

 well carried out on the rump and underneath ; legs of 

 medium length, well set, and carriage pretty upright, 

 feather close-fitting, and condition hard and firm. Then 

 you have a specimen to be proud of and one well worth 

 three figures, as well as a pleasure to look upon. 



