1(10 Pigeons and All About The:^i. 



all is said and done, the simple fact remains that head 

 and beak are the great points of the Antwerp. 



THE SHOW HOMER. 



This is undoubtedly a most popular and largely- 

 kept variety. North, away in distant Scotland; 

 South, as far as the Isle of Wight ; West, in Cornwall 

 and Wales; and East, in Lincolnshire and Norfolk. 

 In fact, the Show Honier is ubiquitous, and the dif- 

 ficultjr would be to say where it is not popular. The 

 number of its followers is ev6r3-\\'here increasing, and 

 year b}' year more birds change hands at big prices 

 than in any other variety. So big have been the 

 prices realised for Show Homers that they have pro- 

 vided, year after j'ear, the sensation of the season. 



In recent j'-ears mitch progress has been made in 

 the perfecting of the breed, and to-daj' we can, at any 

 show of importance, find a large number of birds com- 

 bining in the highest degree the much-valued proper- 

 ties of substance and (|uality. The rage for substance 

 of head and beak which prevailed so strongly years ago 

 has worked itself out, and breeders both North and 

 Sotith have set themselves to produce specimens excel- 

 ling in all-rO'Und properties. Further, there is not 

 now the difference existing between the birds of the 

 North and the South. Breeders of the North ha\'e 

 bred down to. quality, and those of the South have 

 bred up to substance. To-day the vShow Homer is 

 one of the most handsome, graceful, and command- 

 ing birds on the show bench. 



The beak is an important property in the vSho.v 

 Homer, because upon its length, stoutness, and set- 

 ting, depend in great measure the perfection of the 

 profile. The beak shottld be long, but not unduly 

 stout; it nuist not overbalance the rest of the face, 

 or the bird will appear mean-faced. From the corner 

 of the eye to the tip of the beak should be from liin. 

 to ifin., with proportionate stoutness. The beak 

 wattle should be very fine and glovelike in texture 

 and fit, and be V-shaped. 



The eye should be bold and prominent, and 

 pearl or white in colour. A red eye is a bad fault, 



