70 THE PKACTICAL PIGEOK KEEPKK. 



Straightness of beak is a rare point. The growth of the 

 peculiar substance termed the beak-wattle seems to have a 

 natural tendency to both shrivel up and cutI the upper mandible, 

 so as to leave a space between the upper and lower. This fault 

 is increased in some birds by the neglect of the owners, or their 

 desire to boast of the length of the face. When pigeons are fed 

 from a hopper the upper mandible always has a tendency to 

 overgrow, which is not the case when the food is pecked from 

 the ground ; and if Carriers are left to this tendency unchecked, 

 the result may be a two and a quarter inch face. But such a 

 beak is worthless, being excessively curved, and tending ever 

 to get worse and worse. The beak should rather be trimmed 

 back occasionally to little more than the length of the lower 

 mandible, and keeping the lower edges as straight as possible, 

 and in this way the length lost is more than compensated by 

 the improved appearance and health of the bird. The last con- 

 sideration is very important. The mouth of every creature is 

 intended to be moist internally ; but when the upper mandible 

 becomes so curled as to leave a space between it and the lower, 

 an unnatural drjmess of the mouth is produced, which not only 

 causes canker and other affections of the mouth or throat, but, 

 indirectly, other diseases. Young birds which require it are 

 often manipulated while the mandibles are soft, to straighten 

 the beak ; but such "made" faces can almost always be detected, 

 and not much is gained by it, as it depresses the beak-wattle 

 just where convexity is most desired. In straightness of beak 

 Carriers have improved considerably of late years. 



The beak should also be thick, arid blunt at the point, to 

 give the best effect. It is particularly esteemed if the lower 

 mandible be as thick as the upper. When all the points as here 

 described are fairly combined, we have the "box-beak," so 

 much valued. Any strain that produces long, straightish, 

 and thick beaks is of value ; and it may probably be found far 

 easier to graft other desirable points on these than to add 



