100 



THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEFEK. 



desired that the head be entirely free from any wedge-shape, 

 but be as wide between the front of the eye-wattles as it is 

 behind. When this is the case the skull will look very short 

 and appear sharply cut out in front, the two front corners, as 

 they may be termed, standing out in a peculiar "square" 



manner not seen in 

 any other pigeon. 

 The skull looks the 

 better if there is a 

 sort of projection or 

 fulness at the back, 

 making the top of it 

 rather flat. 



We next come to 

 the eye- wattles, which 

 differ essentially from 

 those of the Carrier 

 in being desired thici;, 

 as well as large and 

 circular; also in being bright red in colour. They are sub- 

 ject to the same fault as the Carriei's : viz., a tendency to 

 gi-ow most towards the front and top, while deficient or 

 "pinched" behind. But this fault is less seen in square-headed 

 birds. A good formation, as regards thickness of wattle, adds 

 amazingly to the appearance of a bird. If the greatest thick-- 

 ness be towards the edges, and the wattle be comparatively 

 thinner in the middle, round the eye itself, that organ is much 

 less liable to spouts, and the wide and square appearance of the 

 head is much increased ; whereas, if the wattle be thick at the 

 centrp and thinner at the edges the effect is very poor. In 

 regard to colour of wattle, the imported birds are often better 

 than home-bred ones. Mr. Fulton* attributes this, we tliink 

 justly, to the freer use of duns by English breeders. It is 

 *See "Book of Pigeons," p. 235. 



Pig. 23.— Head or Baeb. 



