MALTESE 



189 



beak is long and stout. It forms a most noticeable angle with 

 the head in a downward direction but does not show "down- 

 face." It differs in color with two sets of the varieties, namely: 

 a black beak is found in Blue and Black specimens, in the 

 others a light color beak is seen. The eyes are not prominent 

 but are of medium size and arc nicely proportioned to the head. 

 A neat cere encircles the eye. In colors we find blue eyes on 

 Whites, orange eyes on Blacks, Blues and Reds, and pearl eyes 



A FINE MALTESE SPECIBIKN 



Note length of legs and neck — desired points. — Photo from V. F. 



WTielan & Son, Kansas City, Mo. 



on Yellows, Duns, and Silvers. Whites have red ceres, Reds 

 have flesh colored ceres, Blacks and Blues have damson colored 

 ceres, while Yellows, Silvers and Duns have flesh colored ceres. 

 In each case there is a nice contrast in color. 



As mentioned before the Maltese have a very long, slender 

 neck that is carried well up or erect and makes greatly for a 

 tall bird. It is nicly proportioned. A very bad defect is a shoit 

 thick neck not carried well and this should be guarded against. 



The body of the bird is well rounded in almost every section 

 and has, as stated above, a broad, full and well rounded breast 

 carried well and slightly forward. The back is broad and short. 



