Development of Points. 
73 
quality, for measurement will show that it is only one inch and seven-eighths from the point of beak 
to centre of the eye, which has been frequently surpassed for length alone, but seldom in birds 
with other qualities combined. The appearance is owing, as in the former case, to the length of 
beak in front of the wattle, and the fine build of the latter, showing a good space between the 
upper part of the beak-wattle and the eye-wattle. We need not go over this again in detail, and 
we only refer to it in this example as proving still more conclusively to those who are all for 
mere measurement, and will not be satisfied without it, that such regularity of formation is of far 
more value than mere dimensions. Of course if a bird possesses both these qualities and extra 
measurement, so much the better ; but one reason for thus representing the heads of these birds 
full size has been to show fanciers the great value of due proportion in every point, and that it 
is not wonderful dimensions that are needed to attract the eye of a good judge, or to make an 
almost perfect specimen. We have here represented all that a good judge would wish for at the 
age stated, and have had and seen others in the possession of birds closely resembling all these 
heads, which are not impossibilities, but only fair dimensions, owing all their attractiveness to 
symmetry and due proportion. 
This bird also, like the hen, is remarkable for the perfection of its eye-wattles, being the same 
in diameter and thickness all round the eye, and evenly and beautifully indented or laced. These 
perfections are much more rarely seen in cocks than in hens, as was previously remarked ; the male 
birds being strongly inclined, as they grow, to fail or become “ pinch-eyed ” behind or under the 
eye, while the top and front part, on the contrary, become too full. To avoid this, many fanciers, 
before showing the bird to any one, with the finger and thumb pull and work the lower part of 
the eye-wattle down, in order to increase the apparent surface of the faulty part. Some dislike the 
fault so much that the scissors are brought into play to remove a portion at the top, or front, 
in order that what is left may appear more symmetrical. The operation is, if performed when 
young, often beneficial ; for by cutting off a portion towards the front, where it is too thick and 
large, it not only removes this, and helps to preserve the desired space between the eye and beak- 
wattles, but during the few days the wound is healing the growth on that side seems to be 
suspended, and to be thrown into the side which is faulty. This, however, depends chiefly on the 
fault being discovered and operated upon sufficiently early, and before growth has ceased. The soft 
fleshy wattles we have already mentioned are much less likely to produce these irregular eye-wattles 
than the thin, hard-textured ones ; and yet it is a singular fact that most of the best beak- 
wattled birds are hard, and apt to be ragged in eye-wattle, similar to the head A, in Fig. 32. 
Such raggedness of texture increases with age; and hence will be seen again the great value of the 
large fleshy-eyed hens to mate with the heawy beak-wattled cocks. 
The gullet of this bird will also be noticed, adding, as in the hen, to the apparent length of 
face. In this case it looks even better, or nearer the eye-wattle, than in the younger hen ; but this 
arises from the eye-wattle itself being shown as in a more developed state. It looks so full, indeed, 
that some fanciers would at first sight call it a very large eye-wattled bird ; whereas the eye- 
wattle is simply the fair average size for a good pigeon, being just under one inch in diameter. 
We do not represent a wattle larger than this advisedly, though many have such, because if the 
bird has an eye-wattle too large in comparison with his face, it appears too crowded upon the beak- 
wattle, and gives the face the appearance of being shorter than it perhaps really is, which is just 
what we want to avoid. Later on, the size increases somewhat, as we shall presently see ; but 
we have never, even when thus fully matured, ever yet seen a Carrier with length of face and 
shape and form of beak-wattle to carry off to advantage more than an inch and a quarter diameter 
of eye-wattle ; and we have seen many with more, which had to have a portion removed by their 
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