ii8 THE PIGEON BOOK 



wing, should be white, which is termed as being lo by 

 10. Too much importance, however, should not be at- 

 tached to this point, which is only a minor detail. So 

 long as a bird is not flighted less than 8 by 8 there is no 

 need for any worry. Under is much to be preferred to 

 over flighting. The beak in all Balds should be flesh- 

 coloured and perfectly free from any stains. Some 

 amount of difiiculty is experienced in producing a clear 

 white eye, which of course is much desired in any 

 Tumbler. Bull, or clouded, eyes will often occur, and 

 it is advisable to fight shy of stock possessing this failure, 

 as generally the progeny of such birds will also fail in 

 this respect. The coloured portions of a Baldhead ought 

 to be as rich and lustrous as in Selfs. Much room is left 

 for improvement, however, in this direction, which is an 

 all-important item, and calls for attention on the part of 

 breeders. Many of the so-called blacks are dull and of a 

 decidly blue-black tint, covered with a powdery bloom, 

 which is most unsightly. Black feathers should not be 

 at all inclined to any bloom, but should be the deep black 

 of jet and covered with a beautiful bright green sheen 

 appearing one mass of gloss all over. 



Reds and yellows are also very weak in colour, many 

 being of a very uneven shade and all failing more or less 

 in soundness of secondary flights and underbreast colour, 

 which is generally found upon examination to be quite 

 grizzly. This, of course, should not be. My advice to 

 improve the colour in Balds is the same as I advocate for 

 Self breeding, viz., keep your colours separate and 

 match the soundest ones you can possibly find together, 

 unless you can get hold of a really good dun, which will 

 prove invaluable for crossing with yellows, and also for 

 improving colour in blacks. 



Blues and Chequers on the whole are fairly good re- 



