2 I 2 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
The next important point is the beak-wattle, which should appear on the upper mandible 
alone, lower or jew-wattle being a fault, and again to be urged as distinctive from the allied breed. 
The shape of the wattle should also totally differ ; for while that of the Carrier bulges out, both 
in the centre portion and in various “cauliflower” excrescences, and is desired to tilt or arch 
forward away from the skull, that of the Dragoon is as true a “ peg ” shape as possible. This term 
has been sneered at as indefinite, but has been well understood by fanciers from time immemorial ; 
however, to avoid any ambiguity, we may describe it as large at the back, and tapering as straightly 
and evenly as possible to almost a point in front ; the back not being tilted, but as perpendicular 
as possible, the ideal line resembling a triangle thus j . The actual shape is of course 
not so accurate as this, though not so far from it in a young bird ; but like the Carrier, few remain 
perfectly shaped after the first season, when the wattle begins to grow sometimes wrinkled. It is 
apt then to become irregular and faulty as in all wattled pigeons, and perfect wattles on old birds 
are proportionately rare and valuable. When fully developed the wattle appears as in the annexed 
figure (Fig. 46), which is drawn of the natural size, and shows in profile what we consider a perfect 
Dragoon head. In young birds the wattle varies little in shape, and is smooth and even ; and 
Kig. 46. 
hence some say the wattle never should alter from the young shape. But we can only say that the 
sole shape of wattle and beak that will remain thus unaltered is the thin and “ skinnum ” type. 
Lots of these often occur as the produce of even good birds ; they can be bred by hundreds, and 
will remain the same type till the end of their lives; but the very fact that it is so, and that the 
other type demands so much judgment and care to produce, is in our opinion a conclusive proof 
as to which is really the high-class or fancy pigeon. We may add that the wattles both in the 
figure above and in the coloured plates are not ideals, but such as we have seen many of in 
actual Dragoons. 
In early-bred birds the wattle will begin to “break ” before the age of twelve months, and at 
about fifteen months, as in the Carrier, the style of wattle can be pretty nearly guessed. Before 
it thus “ breaks,” it is clearly divided into two apparent portions, by a line down the centre ; and 
as it grows and wrinkles it should still preserve this character, and ultimately reach such a growth 
that the highest part at the back should be on a level with the top of the skull. It reaches 
maturity at three to four years old, and should then measure about two and a half inches round 
at the biggest part, and not more, unless in a bird very large altogether. The length should be 
rather short, say three-quarters of an inch from front to back at three years, and rather less 
when younger ; and the length of beak in front should not exceed three-eighths of an inch, so 
as not to show that property so much desired in a Carrier, viz., length of beak before the wattle. 
The skull, after the age of eighteen months, should be flat, and wide at the back, gradually 
