06 THE PIGEON blAA'DARD. 



THE SHOW HOMER. 



Head. — The head in one of the most important features, and 

 requires each part to be separately described. When 

 looked at from a side view it should form a perfectly 

 even and unbroken curve from the back of the skull 

 to the tip or the beak. From the front or top each 

 side of the face should be well filled, the front and 

 top skull also forming an unbroken curve from side 

 to side. 



Beak. — The beak should be black, both mandibles stout, but 

 not massive, and so set that it does not interfere with 

 the perfect curve of head.. The edge of under man- 

 dible must be quite straight, and both fit closely to- 

 gether. From the tip of beak to corner of the eye it 

 should measure about If inches. 



Wattle. — This should be white, smooth, and fi;ie in texture, 

 and shaped in the form of the letter V, the upper 

 portion being clean cut out, and not filled in. With 

 age there is a tendency to growth, but it should be 

 only very slight, and for several years it should 

 maintain naturally a fine and smooth appearance. 

 No jewing should appear on the under mandible. 



Eye. — The eye should be set as nearly as possible in the 

 centre of the head, should bo pearly white in color, 

 bright and sparkling, giving the bird a wild appear- 

 ance, as if always on the alert. 



Cere. — This should bo damson black, very fine and bard, 

 having the appearance of a fine silk cord encircling 

 the eye, and although there is a slight tendency to 

 growth, the cere should remain naturally fine and 

 dark for several years. In the lighter colors, such 

 as silvers and yellows, the beak and cero are mostly 

 light in color; but it would be a great improvement 

 if they could be got dark, as the mealies. 



Throat. — The throat must bo clean cut out and perfectly free 

 from thiokuess or gullet. 



Neck. — The neck f-hould be sligrt, thick at the base, but 



