The Breeds of Pigeons. 



203 



front, roundness behind, and roundness everywhere 

 This rotundity of skull is the greatest and first pro- 

 perty in the Owl. 



The eye should be large, bold, and prominent, and 

 centrally placed. This latter point is of great im- 

 portance; the eye cere should be fine and close fitting, 

 and of a flesh colotir. 



The gullet should be large and full; in a word, 

 well developed, and run from the beak down to the 

 frill or rosette which adorns the breast. The neck 

 should be short and thick. " Bull-necked " describes 

 it. 



THE AFRICAN OWL. 



This charming little bird has many most devoted 

 adherents, and is held in high repute by those who 

 appreciate delicacy and refinement. It should be in 

 all its properties a miniature of the English Owl. 

 Imported birds are somewhat delicate in constitution, 

 but as we have in the United Kingdom many strains 

 of home-bred birds which have long ago outgrown 

 their original delicacy no one need be deterred from 

 taking up African Owls for fear of sickness and heavy 

 mortality. 



The colours most generally seen are Whites and 

 Blacks, and they are the most perfect in points. Other 

 colours are Duns, Reds, Yellows, Blues, vSilvers, 

 Lavenders. 



the whiskered OWL. 



The Whiskered Owl is rather larger than the 

 African Owl, and yet not so large as the English. In 

 shape and style it resembles these, and its feathering 

 is the same with the exception of the whiskers, which 

 are an extension of the frill running up each side of 

 the face or cheeks. 



THE ORIENT.AL FRILLS. 



These are a large and extensive family, and are 

 yearly becoming more extensive. They are of all 

 iDirds' known to' the English Pigeon Fancy the most 

 varied and delicate in plumage and markings. In 

 a work of the size of this it is impossible to go fully 



