220 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
eyelash well formed, and the colour good and uniform, little more is expected ; whereas, the Blue 
or dark-barred Silver has many more even of colour properties, besides being rigorously scanned 
for every point of shape and carriage. Owing to these differences, which make the Yellow 
Dragoon in reality quite a different bird, in spite of the great difficulties in getting colour with fair 
perfection in other properties, we venture to assert that for every Blue or dark-barred Silver seen 
approaching perfection there are at least three Yellows which are nearly all that is expected. The 
Blue, in fact, alone is, in our opinion, at present entitled to be called the Dragoon as regards all the 
attractive properties of the breed ; and hence, in spite of the special difficulties attending the 
Yellow, we cannot admit the latter to an equal place. 
On the breeding of Reds, Yellows, and Whites we have nothing of our own to add to the 
clear directions and suggestions of Mr. Graham ; but the following valuable paper on Reds and 
Yellows, by Mr. D. C. Betty, enters even more fully into the breeding of those two varieties, which 
this gentleman has long been known to make his special study. Hence both ourselves and our 
readers are much indebted to him for so fully placing his experience at the service of others. 
“In writing of Dragoons, Red or Yellow, I would, at the onset, assign to them their definite 
and due place in pigeon classification by designating birds of these colours ‘a variety of the 
Dragoon breed,’ allowing to the Blue its claim to be the Dragoon typical in colour, and, to render 
it bare justice, in points also. For what characteristic qualities, then, is the Yellow Dragoon so 
popular among fanciers as to exhibit a striking example of the progress of pigeon culture ? The 
reply would be, that it is a self-coloured bird, and difficult to breed, thus affording an additional in- 
centive to its production. Its colour is of many shades : prismatic, delicate, and yet so brilliant as 
to be the most coveted feather in high-class pigeons. 
“ The Yellow Dragoon should be treated of as regards its colour, how it has been produced, 
and how it is to be sustained, and as to the standard of its points. It should undoubtedly possess 
the shape and proportions of its prototype, the Blue ; the boxed beak with the gentle Dragoon 
proclivity, its point measuring to the centre of the eye one and five-eighths of an inch — the 
standard of the old Carrier. The skull should be somewhat rounded at its anterior, and flattened 
and widening out at its posterior portion, so exhibiting the happy medium between the chuckle- 
headed old Dragoon and the Carrier, its shape, as viewed in a line from the tip of the beak, being 
that of the letter V. The wattle regular and compact ; the irides brilliantly red, the whole organ 
bespeaking courage, strength, and vivacity. The eye-wattle, though not perfectly round, should yet 
not be obtrusively pinched or imperfect in its circle, the texture not fleshy as in the Carrier, nor 
smooth as in the Spanish fowl, but puckered moderately and evenly, as not to intrude its substance 
and hide the orb of the eye, or detract from its expression, nor project over the plane of the skull — 
giving it the appearance of a furrow — a beautiful feature in the Carrier, but out of place in the 
Dragoon. The neck in length should be proportionate to the size of the bird, broad at its junction 
with the body ; the back broad and flattened, even slightly hollowed ; the shoulders not cuddled 
up and hidden among the breast feathers, but standing out in bold relief, like the limbs of an 
athlete, showing an attitude of never-tiring muscular and nervous energy ; the sweep of the wing 
graceful, and the legs not long enough to give the body a stilted look. A bird bred to this 
standard would show good carriage as naturally as a racer does his paces. 
“ I have thus epitomised the most salient points in the Dragoon to insist more emphatically 
upon their presence without attenuation or exaggeration in the Yellow and Red varieties. 
“ The Blue Dragoon is noted to have been bred from a Carrier crossed with a Tumbler, the 
produce crossed again with the Carrier; and the colour is inherent in the breed. In the Yellow 
variety more complications ensue to produce colour ; divers foreign varieties, the Scandaroon, 
