PlfiEONS AND ALL AliOUT TIIE-M. 13! 



a sltiiilei' liii'il, and liroad siiuaru shouldurs liioad lncast and 

 back, and a slioitiiess of lug, thai wniild give it thu Irast liit 

 of a stunted appearance arc inexcusable. 



The culorliue on the breast must ))e sharp and decided, 

 with no irregularities. 



It must appear as it a jiainter witli a i)er£ect eye, had gone 

 just so far, and no further. Its color, whatever it be, must 

 be clear and rich, and the nearer its carriage can be to that 

 of a fine English Carrier, tlie better. ■ Perhaps the word 

 "alert" will indicate the style of the proper Magpie. 



Tliis sleuderuess must e.Ktendeven to the tail, ft>r it should 

 be narrow, should have few feathers, and they should lie 

 closely one on the other. 



It is hard for ine to describe the Ijreast line, but it is oval, 

 and conforms to the shajic of tlie body, while at the wiugs, 

 it would seem, (h)oking at the bird from the side) as if a line 

 liad been drawn with a compass, and had cut off the e;;iiru 

 top of the wing. Tlie samj cjlor begins again at tlie rump 

 back of the legs, and must lie "sound." 



The very fact that good lireeder; feed very lightly before 

 a show, shows that they are striving for a "lean" bird, w ith- 

 outan ounce of surplus tiesh on it. 



One reason that the black is such a favorite, is that iL 

 acquires a beetle green sheen, a lustre, that is all its own. 

 It is a shade that cmce seen, is never forgotten. 



The reds must be a blood-red. rich and striking, and the 

 yellows must not be jiale, washed-out lonking specimen.--. 



It is said by experts that too deep a yellow, generally liaj 

 Willi it a coarseness of feather. 



The l\Iai;pie is aliinlthal slmws up well at first glance, but 

 jiut it ill the pen, and ln'gint(i g<i o\ er it carefully, and in 

 will be found that really first class siK'cimcns do notgroM' on 



