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THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



main group. Then, again, stray coloured 

 feathers make incursions over the frontier line 

 of the " white beard," and settle themselves pro- 

 miscuously, irrespective of the beauty of the 

 arrangement. Occasionally the dark feathers 

 overrun the frontier in such compact masses 

 that they reduce the "beard" to extremities, 

 fairly exterminating it, except a dash of white 

 on each cheek, leaving the 

 bird just sufficient to form 

 a small and genteel pair 

 of Dundreary whiskers. 

 These last are termed 

 " dark-faced." Dark-faced 

 birds do not possess an 

 agreeable appearance, and 

 are valueless in the Show- 

 pen. They are useful for 

 stock purposes, however, and, matched to full- 

 bearded mates, may throw model offspring. 



The above represents an ideal beard. The 

 upper mandible in Reds, and Blacks, and Blues 

 should be dark ; the lower one pure flesh colour. 

 The flight-feathers, as in the Baldhead, should 

 be white, but are seldom found ten a side ; yet 

 the orthodox number, to the turn of the flight, 

 should be perseveringly aimed at. Eight and 



