THE BALDHEAD. 99 



Ten a Side 



is the next point to be attained — that is to say, 

 the ten primary flight feathers in each wing 

 should be white. The upper and lower man- 

 dible should be perfectly white also, not having 

 a stain of colour upon them. Putting aside this, 

 the head and beak qualities of the Baldhead are 

 similar to the Almond, one standard answering 

 for both birds. In fact, the Baldhead differs 

 from the Almond in nothing but feather. 



The size of the bird is an important considera- 

 tion. It must be small — the smaller the better. 

 Diminution in size is the result of inbreeding. 

 Late-bred birds also are frequently small and 

 weakly. 



The colours of the Baldhead are blue, silver, 

 red, yellow, black, with the off colours dun, 

 creamy, mealy. 



Blues and Silvers 



are the most numerous and the best quality 

 birds. They should be matched together to 

 improve the markings of both — Blue cock and 

 Silver hen, or vice versa. If two Blues are 

 matched together, their offspring are apt to run 

 down in colour, the blue becoming deeper and 



