78 PIGEONS, 



circumference. In the cock it should not be less than four inches, nor in 



the hen less than three inches. 

 Eye Wattle. — This, without being flattened out, should be the size of a shilling. 

 Length of Neck. — The length of neck, measured from its junction with the 



shoulder to the head, should be four inches and a half. 

 Length of Limb. — The limb, measured as in a Pouter, should be six inches and 



a quarter. 

 Length of Feathek. — This should be measured, as in a Pouter, from the tip of 



the beak to the end of the central tail-feathers. The cock Carrier should 



measure sixteen inches ; the hen fifteen and a half inches. 

 " The above measurements may be taken as constituting the standard for black 

 and dun Carriers ; they are at present in advance of the blues and whites ; and 

 in awarding prizes, these latter should have due allowance made them. 



"NUMERICAL VALUE OP PROPERTIES. 



Skull. — Length measured from front of eye-ball to back of head, 4 ; flatness, 7 ; 

 dent, 2; width, 4; straightness, 4. — Total 21. 



Beak. — Length, 4 ; thickness, 4 ; straightness, 4. — Total 12. 



Beak Wattle. — Circumference, 6 ; tilting, 6 ; distance between eye and wattle, 4 ; 

 shape, 4.— Total 20. 



Eye Wattle. — Soundness, 4 ; softness and fineness of texture, 6 ; size, 6 ; 

 regularity, 4 ; prominence of eye-ball, 4. — Total 24. 



Carriage, 12. — We attach much importance to this property, as without it a 

 Carrier, especially when old, looks anything but attractive. An aged bird 

 that has had this property will show it on being roused. Carriage is also 

 generally accompanied by a good neck, a long limb, and always by a well- 

 shaped body. If a bird exhibited loses by want of style, it may be fairly 

 said that it is not desirable to show a bird that cannot show itself. 



Neck. — Length, 4 ; thinness, 4. — Total, 8. 



Thinness of Jowl, 4 — Width of Shoulder, 4 — Length of Limb, 4 — Length 

 of Feather, 6 — Colour, 4. 

 " The total value of all the properties, as thus estimated, amounts to 119." 



The National Columbarian Society includes within its members many of the 

 most eminent Carrier amateurs of the present day, and we cannot, therefore, have 

 a higher authority on the standard points of the breed as at present estimated 

 amongst fanciers. 



To breed Carriers to a high degree of perfection, the same general principles 

 must be followed that were laid down for the rearing of Pouters. Absolutely 

 perfect birds are so few in number, that they can rarely be obtained to match 

 together ; consequently, in pairing the birds, care should be taken so that the 

 deficiency of one parent may be counteracted by the good properties of the other ; 

 and two birds showing a tendency to the same defect should never be mated 

 together. 



