Head of the Dragoon. 
713 
tapering towards the beak, giving a wedge shape when looked at from the top. This is clearly 
shown in Fig. 47, drawn natural size from the same old bird as Fig. 46, and which also shows the 
very same, and what we consider a perfect beak-wattle viewed from the top. But this wedge- 
shape is only seen at about the age stated and later ; when young the skull always appears 
rounder, or what is known as barrel-shaped. This has been another cause of error, as fanciers 
seeing fine young birds known to be good, have imagined that the old ones would be the same 
shape of skull, and hence have preferred those which really were so, not knowing that such were 
in reality the worst of all ; whereas the very young birds on which they founded this idea, if seen 
by them when mature, would be found as we represent. 
While we have said there should be no jew-wattle, we must add there is sometimes slight 
signs of it in large fine birds, at the base of the lower mandible. Good birds are so rare, we would 
never discard one only for this fault, which was possessed by the best Blue Dragoon we ever saw. 
We may add here that it is difficult to “ improve ” the wattle of a Dragoon much, by cutting, as is 
so often done with Carriers. Thpre is so much less stuff to work upon, that without taking off a 
Fig- 47 - 
great deal more than most wattles can afford, the places cut appear so unnaturally smooth and 
free from the proper wrinkles or roughness, that any experienced judge can detect it. A very 
little is possible without detection; but such cutting as some Carriers are subjected to is simply 
impossible in a Dragoon. 
The eye-wattle, or “ lash,” as some call it, should be in a young bird smooth and even. Here 
again is a source of mistake ; people being told that some young Dragoon is a “ grand bird all 
over,” by a known good judge, try to carry the type “in their eye” as it is called, and think that no 
bird is good unless it is the same, forgetting that the pattern they are thinking of was shown them 
as a grand young bird , and not a mature one. In short, no one can ever properly understand a 
Dragoon who does not understand and remember that all wattled pigeons are quite different in 
nearly all head points at young and mature age. This is the simple reason why many judges are 
upbraided with setting forth two distinct types of Dragoons. The fact is recognised in Barbs and 
Carriers ; it is often not recognised in Dragoons, and hence the mischief and the unjust suspicion, 
when the judges have simply been considering young and old birds. Thus, in regard to eye- 
wattle, at about the age of fifteen months the back part of the wattle begins to lose the circular 
shape and become what is known as “ pinched,” showing more of the cere at top, bottom, and 
particularly front, than at the back. It also becomes more and more wrinkled and hard-looking ; 
and if the beak be of the proper black, then the inner edge of the eye-wattle is dark or nearly 
