224 
The Illustrated Book of Plgeons. 
require it quite as much as Carriers ; and their large numbers at all modern shows leave the 
authorities who neglect to provide such needful classification without any real excuse. 
In giving our points for judging Dragoons, we shall take as our standard the Blue, as 
containing both the most properties, and showing almost universally the highest type of excellence. 
POINTS IN JUDGING BLUE DRAGOONS. 
Beak : shape, I ; colour, I ; length, I ......... 3 
Beak-wattle : general shape, 3 ; evenness on both sides, 3 ...... 6 
Skull : flatness, X ; true V -shape, 2 3 
Eye-wattle : size, 1 ; pinching, 1 ; dark eyelash, 1 ....... 3 
Colour of eye (dark red) ............ 1 
Fulness of gullet (slight) ............ 1 
Shape of neck .... .......... 2 
Breast : width and projection of wing-butts ......... 3 
Back : flatness between shoulders .......... 1 
Flights and tail, proper length of . 1 
Feather : closeness or tightness ........... 1 
Colour : uniformity down back and rump, 3 ; shoulders, 1 ; breast and thighs, 2 .6 
Wing-bars, colour and regularity in shape 2 
Uprightness and carriage ............ 3 
Legs, shape and position of ............ 2 
33 
The Silver Dragoon will have the same scale, less the point for dark eyelash, which is wanting 
in this variety, and two other points for colour, since, if the sides of the Silver are correct this is 
enough, and four points are sufficient. The Blue-chequer requires the same scale as the Blue in 
all except the two points for bars. Hence, it counts a point more even than the Silver, which may 
offend some Silver fanciers. But a good Blue-chequer is as hard to breed as any other, and has, 
besides, a superior value for breeding Blues, and the time will come when it will be thought more 
of, as in the case of Antwerps. 
Yellows and Reds should be judged by the Blue scale, less one point for dark eyelash, and 
two points for having no bars, leaving four colour-points for colour of body all over. Grizzles may 
be judged the same as Yellows, but the colour-points must be fully deducted if the Grizzle is not 
good. White Dragoons should have no points for colour (this point gives no difficulty ; and, 
moreover, a bird either A white or it is not), and only two for beak, the same as Reds and Yellows. 
It will also count, of course, none for bars. All Reds and Yellows should have pale or flesh- 
coloured beaks. 
