66 
The Illustrated Book of Plgeons. 
that it is nearly impossible to breed it out. A well-formed gullet also improves the apparent 
length of face. 
The neck should be long, and slender throughout its entire length. If the neck be measured 
at all, the measurement should be taken not only from the back of the head, at H (level with the 
eye), but also from the gullet, at E, to the shoulder, K ; for a bird which appears long if measured 
only from the back of the head, will appear short if it is full in gullet. But, in reality, we do not 
consider length of neck a property which can be measured, except, perhaps, in very rare cases, or 
in such as are so evenly balanced to the eye that the judge really wants something to give as a 
reason ; but, as a rule, the bird that appears to have the longest neck is to be considered the best 
in this point. Shape of the neck is also to be considered ; for it must not only appear thin and 
snaky when viewed from the side, but still thinner when looked at in the front. The neck should 
also appear to “come small from the shoulder,” or look nearly as thin at the shoulder as at the 
gullet. This is often seen in young birds, but few show it when three years old ; and, indeed, very 
few even of the best birds show this feature quite so perfectly in later life as when from twelve 
to fifteen months old. 
A fine neck, though not nearly so difficult to breed as good wattle or beak, is perhaps the 
most attractive amongst all the properties of a good Carrier. For you may have a bird good in all 
points but this, which is short and thick in neck ; and if such a bird is penned by the side of one 
only middling in other points, but which possesses a long, thin, well-shaped neck, the latter bird 
will look the “ race-horse ” and the other the “ cart-horse ” style ; especially if, as is generally the 
case, the longer-necked bird has the longest legs as well. We of course suppose old birds shown 
against old ones, or young against young. It is also of importance to showing off the full length 
of neck that the bird carries its face or beak fully level, or even slightly pointing upwards, which 
gives the last finish and grace to a good neck and head, and makes the whole look bold and 
upstanding, which a down-faced bird never does. 
The shoulders of a Carrier should be wide, in fact, the wider the better, in reason. They 
should project or stand well out, so that a line or rule held across the front of the breast stands 
but little in front of them. It is better if, in measuring across from L to M, there be between the 
shoulders a slight hollow or depression, which sets off the neck and whole body ; whereas some 
birds carry their wings in so close that the shoulders appear rounded, which is termed by fanciers 
being “ hog-backed,” and looks very bad. 
The wings should be well tucked up, so as to show but little depth from K to N, and show off 
to advantage the form and length of the thigh. If the bird carries the wings loose from the 
shoulder, it veils the thigh, and causes the body to appear too low on the legs ; but some good 
birds will show this fault when out of condition. 
The thighs of a Carrier should be muscular and nicely rounded, covered with soft, short 
feathers. The length is to be measured from N to the front part of the hock-joint, R ; and this should 
give a good length. Some birds are not only short in this part, but badly formed, showing a 
projection at the hock behind, and far too much of an angle in the front. When this is the case, 
however fine the neck and upper carriage may be, the bird never looks well, and cannot stand 
as tall and upright as it ought to do. Some acquire this fault in the nest-pan ; but in others it 
is congenital, and if so it is a serious fault in a strain. A good straight thigh, coming down 
tolerably perpendicularly towards the hock-joint, is almost sure to carry with it a thick, 
well-shaped, and well-set leg, which measures well from R to the sole of the foot, S. We can 
conceive of a Carrier being too long and upright in thigh and leg, but such a bird has never 
yet come before us. 
