Ocean rer er friends and admirers ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New YorkK STATE COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND HoME ECONOMICS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell a Library SF 465.W95 1882 wii Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000030001 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. ' BY LEWIS WRIGHT, AUTHOR OF “THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF POULTRY,” ‘THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER,” &c. ILLUSTRATED. SECOND EDITION. CASSELL, PEettTEeR, GALPIN & Co:: LONDON, PARIS ¢ NEW YORK. -[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] CONTENTS. PAGES Chapter I.—Tuxz Picron Lorr: Importance of Proper Space— Plan for a Moderate Loft—Loft in the Roof of a House— Internal Fittings of Loft—Various Breeding Arrangements —Perches . z 3 : 3 . . : p . 14 Chapter II.—Foop anp Frxpine: Why Food differs in Winter and Summer—Proper Diet for Pigeons—Quantity a Pigeon Eats—Hoppers—Green Food—Fountains—Salt Cat. 14—22 Chapter ITI.—Breepine anp Gunerat Manacement: The Sexes in Pigeons—Matching—Settling in the Loft—Nest-pans— Insect Vermin—Sitting—Hatching—Holding a Pigeon—The Squeakers—Shifting—Nurses or Feeders—Artificial Feeding —Moulting . : : ‘| * 8 . z : . 2446 Chapter 1V.—Prpierrr Breepine: What isa Strain?—Tendency to transmit Features to Posterity—Accumulation of such Tendencies—Effects of Selection—Comparison with the Hap-hazard Process—Necessity of keeping up a Connective Chain—In-breeding and Crossing—Practical Mode of Pro- cedure—This Method followed by all Practical Fanciers . 45—57 Chapter V.—Exursitine Picrons: Necessity of Exhibition in some Form—Columbarian Society Shows—Boxes and Baskets —Washing—Various Means of improving the Appearance of Pigeons . 3 3 3 . . . . : . 58—65 Chapter VI.—Carriers . e “eo -s ee). 66—85 3 VII.—Dracoons . . . . . . F . 85—97 Iv CONTENTS. Chapter VIII.—Barzs . = ‘ . é A : . 97—108 3 [X.—Snorr-racep Tumpiers: Almonds and their Origin—Kites, Agates, and Splashes—Mottles—Baldheads and Beards . P - 2 : - : . 108—127 Chapter | X.—Common anp Prerrormine Tumpiers: Origin of Tumbling — Oriental Rollers — Training of Flying Tumblers . 2 ‘ ‘i , . : . 127—140 Chapter XI.—Povrers: Pigmy Pouters . : ‘ . 140—154 iy XII.—Fanrarts. 7 . s ‘ F . 154—158 3 XIII.—Jacozins - . 3 3 i é . 158—163 5 XIV.—Faintzep Piczons: Owls — Turbits — Tur- biteens—Satinettes—Blondinettes—Vizors . * - 164—180 Chapter XV.—Exurpirion ANTWERPS . . 7 ‘ . 180—187 a XVI.—TarumPEeTERs —ARCHANGELS — Nuns — Mac- pres—Runts . . : : . , . 187—-195 Chapter XVII.—EHastern Toy Picrons: Capuchins—Dama- scenes—Swifts—Scandaroons—Indian Pigeons . - 195—203 Chapter XVIIT.—Miscetzaneous Toys: Frill-backs—Floren- tines—Swallows—Priests—Brunswicks—Letz Pigeons— Fairies, or Fairy Swallows—Shields—Crescents—Starlings —Fire Pigeons, or Fire-backs—Ice Pigeons—Hyacinths— Victorias—Porcelains—Suabians—Helmets—Spots . . 203—209 Chapter XIX.—Homine Piczons: Modenese Flying Pigeons 209—221 an XX.—DisEasEs oF PIGEONS . . . - 222—232 . LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ee PAGE Puan or Lorr. . . . ‘ . . 4 . . a 4 Lort on a House . 4 ‘ : . . . 2 6 Internat Firrives or Lorr . : 3 $ : ‘ 8 Scotcu Pian or Broap SHELF FOR Neniceas A ‘ 2 . 10 Mr. Furton’s Nest-Box . : 2 . 2 3 ‘ ‘ » dl Trianete Percn . . ; 3 2 : ; . 12 Mr. Canipia’s ImPpRovED —— ‘i ; . ‘ i . 13 Frrpine Hoppers ror Piczons . P : : 7 . 18, 19 Water Fountains . 3 ‘ : : 2 : é ‘ » 22 NeEst-Pans , ‘ : a F : : F ‘ A . 80 Scrarer . , < F : : : ‘ . . 3i Manner or Hotpine a Prosar F . 3 2 i ‘ . 86 Boxzs ror Senpine Piczons ro Saows - . . - 60, 61 BaskETs FOR ,, 44 es 5 re . 7 . 63 BivE CARRIER F ‘ : . F F . 67 Heap or CARRIER . é : ‘ 3 ‘ ots <3 . 72 -Biuz Dragoon Cock . ‘ “ A F . 87 Brrmincuam Dragoon Hen, 1870 . é : és é 90 A i », Heap or, 1874 . ‘ , . . 91 mn - », Moprern Tyre . ‘ - . 93 Bargs. 3 3 . : 3 é ‘, ‘ ‘ : 98 Heap or Barzp. = ys . 100 SHoRT-FACED Tegiaceaa Aewown, "Migew: BaLDHEAD, Brarp . 109 Heap-Movtper ror SHort-FacED TUMBLERS ° . is . 119 Fiyine TumBLers . ‘ ‘ ‘ : ‘ ‘ y - 132 Or1ienTAL ROLLERS . 3 : = é ‘ . ‘ ‘ - 185 -BLACK-PIED PovuTER A a , : ‘ : ‘ 3 . 148 Piemy Pouter anp IsaABEL . . : ‘ ‘ = 3 . 153 Scotcn FantTain . : ‘ F * fe 3 , . 155 Buuz anp WHITE Tusomns z ‘ 3 é . 3 : . 159 Owts AND TunBITS |. : : r ~ . é 3 167 TURBITEENS . 7 3 e 7 % 3 F - 171 SaTINeTtTE _ : F : P 2 ‘ F : - 175 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE BLONDINETTES * . * . ; 5 : - 2 - 178 Bive Vizor . ‘ ‘ j ‘ . % % F . 179 ; Stnver-pun SHow ANTWERP . : ‘ 2 ‘i 180 Heap oF SILveR-DuN ANTWERP. a , P F 181 Dracrams or Stanparp ANTWERP HEAD ‘ ci ‘ ~ 182 3 4 ” (Youne Brrp) . . 183 Tyres or ANTWERP EYE-WATTLES 5 é F : . 188 AntwerP Heap, Favity Type. 3 : E . 184 A 3 MEpIuM-FACED TYPE . A F : 3 . 186 TRUMPETER. F ‘ ‘i 2 F j j . 188 Nouns : re ‘ : : ; : E . 191 Lzcuorn Runt 5 ‘ 5 3 F ‘ é ‘ . 198 Common Runt 3 5 ‘ ‘ Fi ; : ‘ 194 DamasceNnE . . : < ‘ < ‘ . ; i 196 Swirr. 7 3 3 : : 7 F . ‘ : . 197 ScaNDAROONS . ¥ . > ‘ é ‘ é s e . 198 Lawore . F P 3 : ; , é i a 199 Inpian Picrons—Mooxxr, SHERAsEE, GooLEE . s . . 201 Frini-Backs . ‘ ‘ F : ; a % - . 204 FLORENTINE OR BURMESE . i . : 5 % . . 205 SwaLLows r - 7 7 . 3 < q . * - 206 Homine Picrton . ‘ 3 3 z ‘ : e . . 210 AREA FOR Homine Picrons . s , ‘ ‘ . z 211 Botting WIRES. : : ‘ . c 3 , a‘ 213 Cat-Proor ENTRANCE FoR AREA . é 5 3 P r 213 Puan or Lorr ror Homine Pigzons . 3 ; ‘ . 214 Mopengse Friyine Pigeon , é és é F _ 5 - 220 PREFACE. —eo0 00—— Tuis work has been chiefly written because such a book was repeatedly asked for. No apology is therefore needed for its publication. In preparing it the writer has endeavoured to preserve the same plain and practical character which obtained for the “ Practical Poultry Keeper” such a wide popularity. Theo- retical discussions have been eschewed except in a very few cases, where a few words seemed likely to throw practical light on questions of deep interest to pigeon fanciers, such as the origin of Tumblers and of Tumbling, and the true ideal standard for Owls and Jacobins. The object has been to get the greatest amount. of practical information on practical points into asmall space. How far that object has been attained must be left to the judgment of the reader. THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. CHAPTER I. THE PIGEON-LOFT. It may appear strange, but is nevertheless true, that the pigeon is a much more domestic bird than the fowl. In other words, although a bird of flight, it spends much more time in the spot which it regards as its home; and success in pigeon- keeping will therefore depend very much on that home being properly proportioned to the number kept, and fitted up in a judicious manner. As with nearly all pets kept in this climate, it is better, if possible, that the loft should have a somewhat southerly aspect; but if that cannot well be managed there is no need to be anxious over it, provided it is a good open situation. Proper space is of far more importance. Old Moore himself, the first writer on pigeons, is very strong upon this point, and relates that he knew a gentleman who could not raise three young ones all the spring from nine pairs of breeding birds ; whereas, even in the autumn, when moved into a larger place they bred freely. Every experienced fancier can corroborate this ; and it is of such importance that, if only a very small space can be secured, we would strongly advise that only one good pair of birds be kept. From that one pair, well looked after, more B 2 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. young will be reared than if any attempt be made to crowd the birds. Few people, however, are reduced to this ; and for a modest but efficient loft we can strongly recommend a wooden building, twelve feet by six feet, divided by a partition into two houses, each six feet square. If a handy place offers, this can, of course, be reared against the wall of a house or garden, and the floor boarded or asphalted ; concrete does not answer, from the pro- pensity of pigeons to pick it to pieces. But it will do just as well, and is often more convenient, to make the wooden build- ing detached in the garden. In such case it may be framed with “ quartering,” and the floor should be tongued with hoop- iron, raised about a foot from the ground, and well-smoothed, which will make the house dry in any situation. For the walls good match-boarding, about an inch thick, answers admirably ; and only where the breeds to be kept are very delicate—as, for instance, foreign Owls—or the climate is very severe, may it be advisable to nail an inner skin of thinner match-board to the inside of the frame. Such an inner skin, however, with the layer of air between, makes a very warm loft, and adds much to neatness, and where a little expense is no object, is worth its cost. For the roof we prefer ordinary rafters, covered with loose tiles, and lined inside with match-board. At the highest part of each house, just under the roof, should be adequate holes for ventilation, which can be covered with perforated zine. For pigeons allowed to fly at liberty no further space or accommodation beyond what is contained in the loft will be required ; it will only be necessary to provide a safe means of entry and exit, which will protect them from thieves and cats, and which will be described in the chapter on “Homing Pigeons.” In the country, where the neighbours are honest, it will answer best to let nearly all varieties fly in this manner, and birds so ‘happily circumstanced will maintain themselves in THE PIGEON LOFT, 3 admirable condition. But nine-tenths of fancy pigeons are kept in towns, or-too near questionable characters to be thus risked ; and for all such must be provided an exercising place or aviary, or “ flight,” as it is usually called, entirely enclosed with wire netting. This should be in front of the enclosed loft, of good height, and as long as can be afforded. For the loft we are describing, six feet of flight in front may be made “to do,” but is very cramped; twelve feet is far better, and will keep the birds in perfect health: such a loft thus occupying in all a ground space of twelve by eighteen feet, arranged as in Fig. 1. In this figure, a a are the lofts, B B the flights, or aviaries, belonging to them. Unless the loft is reared against a wall, we should prefer the highest part of the roof to be in front, which allows a small window over each door, and a good height —say eight feet—for the wire enclosure. At the far end of this, at the height of five to six feet from the ground, a shelf (/), about five inches wide, should be fixed, but taking care to place it a few inches clear of the netting, in order that in turn- ing round the pigeons may not damage their tails ; on the doors and front of the loft, also a few inches clear, should be fixed other shorter shelves (e), arranged in a manner that allows one to pass over the other when the doors are opened. The pigeons will, in a flight arranged like this, take much exercise and pleasure in flying from one shelf to the other ; and if the aviary be much over twelve feet in length, it is a good plan to provide another shelf across the middle, about eighteen inches below the wire at the top. The floor of the aviary, on the whole, is best laid with concrete, or hot lime and sand, as what the pigeons eat of this will do them good, and their dilapidations can easily be plastered over every two or three years. The entrance holes should be cut in the door, that there may be only one locality for draught ; and there should always be two in each door, some birds being very dictatorial over these places. A good size is four and a half inches wide, by about 4 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. =) | g i Ta 4 nae T aT A eT ‘ j \ ! ‘ 1 ‘ \ l ' 1 1 | t i I i] i) ' t ' t i] ! i ; ‘ $ t ' t ‘ t t t 1 ' : ULNA NO eS io a a ee ae Ye «a ne, doe ane Fig. 1—PLAN OF LOFT. AA, Lofts or pigeon-houses. doors bevelled towards the hinged BB, Open flight or aviary. side, and set one inch higher than cs, Nesting places, with pans. the others, to allow door to swing. dd, Perches for roosting. JJ, Shelf at further end of aviary, ¢o, Shelves, attached by iron brackets | gg, Holes with traps, and small landing to doors and front of lofts. Those on each side of the door. i THE PIGEON LOFT. 9) seven inches high, and there must be a small alighting stage or shelf, level with the bottom, projecting, say, three inches from each side of the door. We prefer the holes about a foot clear from the floor of the loft, and each should be furnished with a trap-door, for many obvious reasons. Atc and d are the nest- ing places and perches to be hereafter described. It will readily be seen that a loft and aviary thus con- _ Structed are perfectly secure against cats, and when built with a raised floor are practically so against rats. It is often well worth while to enclose the aviary with netting small enough in mesh to be also proof against small birds. Otherwise, it is really astonishing what a quantity of food these petty marauders will eat in the course of a year. Omitting this precaution, we once found no less than seventeen sparrows in a loft six feet square. Such a number of visitors must needs make a serious difference in the corn-merchant’s bill ; and in our opinion Master Sparrow is in this way not altogether blameless for the generally assumed voracious appetite of the pigeon. More extensive lofts can, of course, be erected on the same general plan as that above described ; but we would strongly recommend in all cases, unless unusually ample space be at command, that the nwmber of separate rooms be added to rather than their size. Every additional means of dividing the pigeons will, as the breeding season comes to a close, be found of in- estimable benefit, and will greatly promote the amateur’s con- venience, comfort, and success. So true is this, that we are acquainted with one most successful breeder who divided his lofts and aviaries into sections only three feet wide, in each of which he put two pairs of birds; and he told us he had never had such success in rearing young ones as since he adopted this plan. It will very often happen, however, that some existing accommodation has to be made available, and the very word “loft” points to what has most often been pressed into the 6 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. service from all time. Where the top rooms of a house are ceiled over, there is generally a good space left between the top ceiling and the actual roof; and when this is accessible it can readily be made a home for the pigeons. First of all, a good tight floor—tight and close, however thin—must be laid over the rafters. This, and a window, and ready access, are the B e Oh | he oe “| WY pT all t h Fig, 2.—Lorrt on a Howse. A, Loft inside roof. | cc, Shelves, BB, Aviary, or flight, enclosed with netting. d, Bath great points ; with them and decently good management vermin need not be feared: but where the loft is left dark, rough, and unfloored, to collect filth unseen for weeks together, it need not be wondered at should there be annoyance. A smooth floor that can be well scraped, and light to scrape it by, easily pre- vents all this, and disinfectants will do the rest. Such literal “lofts” have been most usually used for flying pigeons, which, of course, only further need a proper entrance, such as will be hereafter described ; and where fancy pigeons are kept in them, THE PIGEON LOFT. 7 it has been usually in close confinement, the birds never being allowed outside. Pigeons can be kept even like this; but they are always liable to disease, and can never enjoy existence as all pet creatures should do. And itis quite easy to make even the top of a house all that can be desired in any way. We give a sketch which will show at a glance what we mean, and the idea of which is taken from the well-known loft of Mr. Wallace, of Glasgow. The plan (see Fig. 2) consists simply of carrying wire-work square up to the level of the apex of the roof and to the extent of the walls, and needs no further explanation. A few shelves, such as already described, will make a roof so furnished a happy abode for any pigeons; and as in the former case is perfectly secure, or is easily made so, from any form of depredation. So much for the outside of the loft; we must next turn to the inside. The great thing to be here studied is proper breeding accommodation; and here again it is singular, and speaks volumes for his thorough practical knowledge of the subject, that the very first writer on pigeons—old Moore before mentioned—describes the arrangement which is still by general experience pronounced best. ‘To make your breeding places,” says he, “you may erect shelves about fourteen inches broad, allowing eighteen inches between shelf and shelf, for otherwise your tall Pouters, by being forced to crouch for want of height, will get a habit of playing low, and spoil their carriage. In these shelves erect partitions at about the distance of three feet, fixing a blind by a board nailed against the front on each side of every partition ; by this means you will have two nests in the length of every three feet, and your pigeons will sit dark and private.” In Moore’s time it seems to have been usual for fanciers to keep a few of almost all varieties, and hence his dimensions are, unless for Pouters, unnecessarily large; but his general arrangement is admirable, and we proceed to show clearly its application to our supposed loft of six feet square. ia 7 : cet ; eee L cl sal : | | ) : if | ha . rere ular boards Fy) ahs nest pans, | t f Ove wire eenee pens INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS. 9 We will suppose the height of the back part, opposite the cvor, to be seven feet (we most strongly advise ample height in all cotes or lofts specially constructed, which will promote ventila- tion, and tend to counteract canker, diphtheria, and numerous other diseases). The back of the loft will then appear as in Fig. 3. Here a a are the shelves, which for all varieties but Pouters will be sufficiently roomy if made twelve inches wide and about fourteen inches apart. At 60 is the perpendicular partition dividing the whole into two widths, or ranges, of three feet wide each; and cc are the perpendicular boards, also twelve inches wide, nailed bodily over the ends of each range. All is in this way put up in the simplest manner, and without an inch of waste. Behind the covering boards, in the sheltered recesses thus formed, are placed the nest-pans (dd), to be further described in another chapter. In such a loft as here described, we strongly advise leaving the top ranges open, to be fronted with wire as in the figure at Sf These pens will be most useful for the temporary con- finement of strange pigeons, received, perhaps, on approval ; or for hospital purposes when any ailment to be treated is not contagious; or to confine birds it is desired to stop breeding. It will also be well to fix double swing wire fronts to the open part of another shelf, as at ee. These will answer the same purpose ; and by providing wire partitions, which can be slid in between the front wires, they will make most excellent “matching” pens, the use of which will be seen presently. The bottom range of all, on the floor, had better be left clear, and will come in handy, either for young ones or an occasional ground nest, as will be seen by-and-by; or when not wanted for such purposes, the water-fountain can be placed under the shelf on a raised stage, and the gravel-box or salt-cat can also be placed there, or even the food-hopper. They will be out of the way, and leave the floor clear, and the shelf above will keep all from being fouled by the birds. For this latter part of the 10 ; THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. arrangement we are indebted to a hint from Mr. Hallam, of Birmingham. There will still be left double sets of nests for six pairs of birds, which in our opinion are all that should be kept in such a loft; but if more must be accommodated, the wire-fronted pens and the floor are also available. We can thoroughly recommend this size and plan for a loft, which is drawn from our own experience ; and the same plan can be followed at the top of a house by nailing the shelves to the rafters, and the partitions at the proper intervals to their sides. In one or two Scotch lofts we have seen a very broad Fig. 4, ce, L-shaped Screens, aa, Shelf. c ad, Nest-pans. bb, Partitions. shelf—two feet wide or so—fixed against the wall, with a partition here and there, and no other fixtures at all, each nest-pan being simply sheltered by two pieces of board nailed together like an L, or the two sides of a box, and stood up on end close to the wall, so that the pan lies in the angle, as shown in Fig. 4. We, however, prefer the foregoing, The nesting place preferred by Mr. Fulton is shown in Fig. 5. Each half of the nest is a foot square, and the hinged cover is made slanting, so that the pigeons cannot perch upon it. Its advantages are three. The first-is that the nests being upon the ground, delicate or weakly hens have no difficulty in reaching them ; the second is that the pans are very dark and private ; the last is that the partition in the middle prevents young birds from going to the hen, and teasing her while she BREEDING ARRANGEMENTS. 11 is sitting upon her next batch of eggs. On the other hand, as such nests can only be made upon the ground, the plan limits the accommodation very much; they are difficult to clean thoroughly out, and are thus apt to become infested with vermin ; and most pigeons prefer a higher situation. A shelf is also much more convenient for inspecting what goes on, or for feeding a young pigeon; and, on the whole, after trying both plans, we prefer that of old Moore for general use, movable fences or partitions being easily placed against any Fig. 5. nesting-place to prevent the young ones teasing the hen or getting into danger. The nest just figured, where room can be given, is useful for Short-faced Tumblers and such weakly birds; but these can also be accommodated on the floor range of the plan figured at page 8. We have not yet done, however, with the fixtures of our loft. Nothing more seems to have been usual in Moore’s time; but in one respect later experience has improved upon him. If nothing more is provided, the pigeons will have to rest at night in their nesting places, and these will receive a very unnecessary amount of excrement, which is ‘objectionable in every way. We therefore provide roosting perches at the sides of the loft, 12 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. as shown at din Fig. 1. A very usual form for these is that in Fig 6, where the top or perch itself is a slip of wood, about an inch and three-quarters wide and six inches long, nailed over the top edges of two pieces of board the same length and about six inches wide, arranged in the form of a triangle. These perches are fixed about twelve inches apart, projecting end out from the side of the loft, | | | | | which is easily managed by nailing a strip of board to their ends, and fixing that to the wall. The use of the triangle is to catch the droppings of the Ne birds, and throw them off Fig. 6.—TRIANGLE PEncH. from any bird that may be on a perch exactly underneath, on to the floor. As pigeons have scarcely any oil in their plumage, such a precaution is very necessary to save serious damage to it; but this form of perch is most objection- able, the birds being very apt to knock themselves in flying against so many sharp angles, giving rise to many cases of wing disease. We mention the plan only because it is so fre- quently employed, as one to be carefully avoided; an infinitely better one having been devised some years since by Mr. Caridia, of Birmingham, a fancier to whom we have been indebted for many a practical hint respecting the management of our pigeons. These admirable perches are shown in Fig. 7, representing two rows, one over the other. Here a a are strips of board the length available for a row of perches, and b } are short lengths of broom-stick or other round poles, either screwed or glued into holes made at the proper intervals, so as to pro- ject about five inches. The right distance is about sixteen inches for long-reaching birds like Carriers, down to twelve inches for smaller breeds. Underneath these are nailed to the PERCHES FOR PIGEONS. 13 same boards, in a slanting direction, other boards (c c), about eight inches wide, to throw off the droppings, the lower edge of this board being supported by one or two stays in any con- venient way. It will be obvious that all the projecting perches are guarded, as it were, by the slanting board; and that instead of having a lot of single perches to keep clean, this same board | i H H { ' ‘ Yl H = Pld Fig. 7.—PERCHES FOR PIGEONS. can be cleared of all matter in an instant by one stroke of the scraper, while the regularity and neatness of appearance, and ease of construction, are also infinitely superior. With the perches the fixtures of the loft are complete. The details we have given can readily be applied to any special case that may occur, or to any shed or outhouse that may be avail- able. Whatever these may be, the nest places and perches we have given are in our opinion the best ; and it only remains to 14 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. add that either the whole should be well painted, and afterwards periodically scrubbed with carbolic soap, or thoroughly white- washed inside with hot lime about twice a year. We may, however, repeat in stated terms an opinion we have virtually expressed already, to the effect that, were unlimited space at sur disposal, we should prefer to add to the number of six-feet divisions than to increase the size. A number of moderate- sized compartments are superior to one or two large ones in every respect, as well as infinitely more convenient. CHAPTER II. FOOD AND FEEDING. Piczons have one great advantage over other pets, that they give less trouble than almost any, with the exception of a few of the most highly artificial varieties. They need no particular delicacy in handling, as small birds do; and as the old ones can, and do in most varieties, take the entire care and respon- sibility of the young ones till these are old enough to feed themselves, they do not demand the constant care and attention necessary with rabbits or chickens. It is only needful to understand their nature and habits, and the reasons which make certain simple matters necessary, to have very little trouble with them. We will begin with the food; and as we have to start by advising different diet for summer and winter, it is well to explain why this is so. In winter the birds are not breeding, and the principal dangers to be guarded against are colds and diarrhea. ,It will be readily understood, then, that at such a time of year solid, rather heating, and slightly constipating diet may act as a safeguard; and that, moreover, the food of SUMMER AND WINTER FOOD. 15 birds passing at first merely to a receptacle, from whence it goes to be digested at leisure, food that does not digest too fast, but dasts some time, will better support the bird during long and cold nights. And so we find to be the case. In winter, sound tick beans or good old grey peas, with a few of the finest tares, make the best of food for ordinary pigeons, to which may be added a proportion of barley. But in summer the case is very different. At this season a large part of the food has to go to the young in a partially digested state; and hence we want naturally a softer food, which can be rapidly converted into pap. The process of feeding also absorbs so much mois- ture that there is very little danger of scouring. In summer, therefore, beans should be exchanged for grey peas, and these largely mixed with such soft grain as wheat, small maize, or dari. This last is a grain much resembling pearl barley in appearance, and is occasionally called Indian millet. There is sometimes difficulty in getting it; but we can say from expe- rience that in the breeding season it is a most valuable aid to the pigeon fancier. The birds seem to prefer it to almost any grain ; its small size enables it to be fed to the young with ease even by small-gulleted birds; and it tends also to an abundant supply of soft food or pap. In making these changes, however, and especially in adding softer grain to the staple of beans or peas, there is one simple precaution to be taken, viz., to make all such changes or additions gradually. The most valuable food may entirely upset the digestive system through a whole loft, if suddenly given in exchange for a different food far inferior. With this caution we may add to the list of useful food during the breeding season a grain otherwise dangerous, viz., raw rice, which seems to have an extraordinary effect, given in modera- tion, in assisting some birds to feed their young. There are some pigeons, such as Short-faced Tumblers or foreign Owls, too small in the gullet to swallow beans or even full-sized peas. Such must be fed on the smaller grey peas in 16 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. winter, with a few tares; adding dari, wheat, or rice in summer with great discretion. Hempseed is bad for all pigeons as regular food, being too oily and heating; but a handful now and then amongst the occupants of a loft acts as a gentle stimulant ; it is also useful in matching birds, and as an occasional restorative. Pigeons prefer it to nearly anything, and careful use of hempseed is, therefore, an excellent means for those who desire it, to make their pigeons tame. By its use the wildest may be taught to eat on the hand. Other small seeds, such as canary and millet, are very useful as a relish now and then, to tempt appetite in sick birds, or to old birds in breeding time ; for instance, if young ones seem badly fed on any particular occasion, a supply of small seeds will often cause the parents to give them a bountiful meal. Mixtures of such smaller grains are often sold _by corn-merchants for pigeons, and when all the kinds are of good quality, are very useful in these ways. We have just spoken of quality, and should here add that this is of the greatest importance for all pigeons. Beans are sometimes sold (to any one who will buy them) so old and hardened with age as to be almost impossible of digestion ; and we have also seen peas and tares so old, dry, and worm-eaten as to be equally worthless. Both peas and tares should be a certain age, new ones being apt to scour the birds; but they should be sound and unshrivelled. We may also remark that the ordinary white peas, such as are used for soup, are not, as a rule, so good for pigeons as the grey or dark peas. They seem to suit some birds very well, especially the hardier sorts which can be allowed to fly at large; but other pigeons are scoured by them, and they should therefore be always given at first with very great caution. Much dispute has taken place concerning the quantity of food a pigeon eats in the course of a year, and very exaggerated statements have been made on the subject, with very little QUANTITY OF FOOD EATEN. 17 foundation. A few years ago, however (in 1873 and 1874), Mr. Harrison, Secretary of the London Amateur Pigeon Society, made very careful actual experiments to solve the point, and the results are sufficiently important and interesting to be put on permanent record. In 1873 account was kept for thirty- eight weeks, and when the figures came to be worked out, it was found that each pair of birds, on an average, consumed one pound thirteen ounces, or rather over a pint, per week. The pigeons were Homing birds, and the grain used in this experiment con- sisted solely of tares, purchased at 17s. per sack, thus bringing the cost per pair per week to little over one penny. Tares are scarcely ever so cheap as this, of course. In 1874 another experiment was made for twenty-eight weeks on the same food, with a result of 14 pints per pair per week. Later experi- ments made with grain at higher prices showed that, at 49s. per quarter, the pigeons cost about 5s. per pair per annum, and at 60s. per quarter, about 6s. per pair per annum, or say 1}d. per week. It must, however, be remembered, on the one hand, that Homing pigeons are generally fed at stated times, and then by allowance ; and on the other, that few pigeons eat tares so readily as other grain: at least, our own experience has in- variably been that tares, however good, are left to the last. We never kept any detailed account; but our general experience has been that pigeons kept confined cost us a fraction over 23d. per pair per week, though some of this may have been owing to the sparrows before mentioned. We strongly advise that the birds be fed from a hopper, and have the food always by them; except where—as with Flying Tumblers and Homing birds—stated feeding times bear an important part in their training. It dees not very much matter how the hopper is constructed, so long as it-is impos- sible for the birds to stand upon or foul the feeding apertures. Fig. 8 shows Mr. Fulton’s hopper; Fig. 9 are two’ forms devised by Mr. Allen ; and Figs. 10 and11 Mr. Battye’s. Each Cc ‘ 18 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, SSS a INN FOOD HOPPERS. 19 of these latter hoppers, it will be seen, are made in two forms— one for the centre of the room or loft, and the other to be placed against a wall. Mr Battye has also invented a hopper, shown in Fig. 12, so contrived that each feeding aperture is closed by a swing door, and only opened when the pigeons step upon a lever. They readily learn to do so; and this hopper has, therefore, one advantage in lofts which are not sparrow- proof, as the weight of the small birds is not sufficient to expose the grain. On the whole, for small lofts or divisions Fig. 12. such as we have described, we prefer the second form shown in Fig. 9. Where sheds have been converted for use as lofts, there is often trouble from mice, which, if allowed, will eat a great quantity of grain. Not only so; but their excrement, and the we mousy ” quality of what is left, seem to exert an actually poisonous effect upon many pigeons. This is unnecessary, being avoidable by very simple means. We have tried the plan of suspending a board by four wires from the roof, at a certain distance from the ground, and this is quite effectual as regards the mice ; but unfortunately the pigeons are very apt to injure themselves against the wires, which they do not appear ever to get accustomed to. A better plan is to make a small table, the 20 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, top large enough to hold the hopper, supported by one single central leg of smooth brass pipe, about eighteen inches high. We are very much inclined to think that pigeons would thrive better in confinement if they could have a regular supply of green food of the right kind. They certainly eat it largely in a state of nature ; and though we are aware that to give it is often followed by bad results, this is only too easily accounted for by the intermittent nature of the supply. We know several fanciers who find benefit from hanging a fresh lettuce to the outside of each aviary every day throughout the breeding season ; and we believe much other garden stuff might be found beneficial in the same way, or an occasional turf of grass. We think it extremely likely that “Canker” and kindred diseases may be largely caused by the almost utter absence of the cooling diet so largely provided by nature ; and though we would strongly advise that all such experiments be made with great caution, we do feel persuaded that careful and persistent experiment in this direction would be followed by general benefit to many lofts, and in particular by a fresher “ condition ” of the birds. Water should be provided in a fountain, and renewed daily. However true it may be that most of the pigeons will drink from the bath, there will often be a few that do not bathe, or the bath may now and then be forgotten. The common poultry fountain, with a hood over the drinking part, will answer very well for small lofts, and may be put under the lower shelf if fitted up as in Fig. 3. Where more birds are kept, an all- round trough is better, however, some pigeons being very quarrelsome when eating or drinking. The pattern shown in Fig. 13 is very good, as it is in two parts, and can be thoroughly cleaned. It is made by Messrs. Crook. Fig. 14 shows another useful all-round fountain, made in metal by Mr. Battye, of Leeds. Pigeons are very fond of washing or bathing, and for this WATER FOUNTAINS. 21 purpose a broad shallow pan or dish should be provided. It may be of zinc or galvanized iron, and a good size for a smallish loft is about two feet square by three or four inches deep, filled with water to the depth of about two and a half inches. We strongly recommend that the bath be always allowed, except in freezing weather ; and if so, it must be re- newed at least every two days, as it becomes rapidly fouled by a kind of floury “bloom,” which comes off the bird when bathing, and which readily rubs off even on a dry coat-sleeve. It is much the best if the bath can be placed in the outside aviary, as it can in nearly all cases ; but if any peculiar circum- stances make this inconvenient, a special pattern should be made, with extra or outer sides, some six inches distant from the inner pan which holds the water, and which will catch the splashing. A bath in the loft is, however, such a constant nuisance, that it should always be avoided if possible ; in fact, we are convinced that even the mere presence of so much evaporating surface of water is distinctly injurious, and causes many attacks of cold or roup. When small and weakly 22 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. birds are kept, there should either be a ledge at the side of the bath or a piece of brick in the centre, else an unusually weakly bird may be unable to get out, of the water, and be drowned. There is yet another requisite, however, and that not the least important. Almost every one has noticed the propensity of pigeons left at liberty to peck at old mortar, and their in- ordinate fondness for salt. The last circumstance makes it extremely probable that the original Blue Rock, or wild pigeon, was an inhabitant of the sea-cliffs ; and the salt no doubt plays an important part in keeping their blood and digestive system in proper order. The old fanciers used to make what they called a “salt-cat.” This was composed of equal bulks of brick clay, coarse gritty gravel, and old pounded mortar. To about a gallon of this mixture was added half a pint of cummin seed and the same quantity of coarse bay salt, and the whole mixed up with urine into a stiff mortar. Strange to say, this nauseous compound is preferred by all pigeons to more cleanly substi- tutes ; and since few people now like to dabble in such messes, there are almost always dealers who find it answer to make and sell salt-cat, and of whom it may be bought without asking awkward questions. It should be placed in a covered box, pierced with holes round the sides through which the birds can put their heads to peck at it, and not exposed to the rain, which washes the salts away. Many people prefer a mixture of mortar, sandy gravel, and earth, with a portion of bay salt, not mixed up at all, but given as a loose, dry mixture ; and this will answer very well for all practical purposes. Such a mix- ture should be kept in a box, with a long horizontal slit in one side wide enough for the pigeons to put their heads through, but not large enough for them to get in, as they would soon tread the contents firm and solid. When old mortar cannot be had, old slaked lime will do instead. We have, however, found that pigeons certainly are, as the old fanciers believed, ex- MINERAL SUBSTANCES. 23 tremely fond of cummin seed; and may suggest as a compro- mise that a salt-cat containing it may easily be mixed with brine so as to answer all needful purposes. The proper supply of these last necessaries is of great importance to the health of a loft; and to some want in this direction, as well as of the green food already mentioned, must be traced the heated, corrupt condition of blood that manifests itself by many diseases. Some diseases are common to animal life, but canker and its allies are unknown to wild birds; and experiment with some cooling salts, such as carbonate of potash, or with some others found in sea-water, might be pro- bably rewarded by great benefit. One hint in this direction we may. give, for which we are indebted originally to a German friend unrivalled in his success with aviary birds generally. He found that pigeons shared with many of these birds a greedy appetite for scraped cuttlefish bone, and appeared greatly benefited by it. Now this substance contains many of the salts spoken of, and we are strongly inclined to believe that it acts as a cooler and purifier of the blood in default of more natural means. We can recommend it strongly, and believe further investigation might find other valuable prophylactic agents of the same class. Meantime, however, let the gravel-box or salt-cat never be neglected. j It may be noticed finally, that while pulse or other grain forms the most natural food of pigeons, they will often eat various kinds of soft food with relish. Crumbled oatmeal cake is eaten greedily by many ; also boiled potato and sopped bread, rice boiled in milk, &c. There is also no doubt that when at large they will eat grubs or small worms ; and it has been found that cold bacon fat, minced into small bits, will be eaten. We cannot recommend any of these things as regular diet ; but some of them are useful occasionally for birds feecing young ones, while others may sometimes, as a total change and stimulus to the appetite, be the means of saving a sick pigeon. 24 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. CHAPTER III. BREEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT. As a basis for all successful management of pigeons, it must be remembered that they are pairing birds, and, as a rule, main- tain a, union once formed with considerable fidelity. They can be parted and re-mated; but it is difficult to do this if the older partner be within sight or sound. Hence it is very necessary to see that the birds are really pairs (of cocks and hens), and then not to disturb them during the breeding season | if it can be possibly helped; and in case a bird dies another mate should be supplied, if possible. An odd hen will do little mischief; but an odd or unmated cock will very often upset a whole loft, and cause the loss of many eggs or young ones by his quarrelsomeness. Such a bird should be provided with some mate, therefore, even if a proper one cannot be found for him. This makes it rather important to be able to distinguish between cocks and hens ; but for this purpose no infallible rule can be given. The sexes are naturally very much alike ; but, in addition to this, all fanciers have for generations endeavoured to breed the hens as much like cocks as possible. As a rule, cocks are more thick and massive about the head and beak, thicker in the neck, and stouter built in all respects ; but, as these terms are comparative, a fully developed and vigorous hen may easily surpass a naturally smaller cock. Again: asa rule, the cock’s breast-bone is rather larger, and the two bones near the vent are in the hen set wider apart ; but these signs also may fail, owing to the general make of the bird. The voice of the cock, again, is most powerful. Upon the whole, however, the most trustworthy test is to observe the behaviour of an unknown bird with one or another whose sex is known, when the peculiar and appropriate gestures will in almost all DETERMINATION OF SEX. 25 cases reveal the sex. We say in “almost” all cases, however, advisedly, since we can state positively that even this test is not infallible. Some few masculine-looking hens will “ play up” to other birds, and behave in all respects like a cock; and people have been unjustly suspected of fraud on this account who have acted and given assurances according to the best of their real knowledge and belief. We remember one young Barb which puzzled us for over four months after it attained full growth. From its progress, as a nestling, we had every reason to believe it a hen, when its sudden boldness and change in demeanour compelled a reversal of that opinion. Still later, we saw reason to return to the first impression ; but after that, the bird’s behaviour respectively to two strange pigeons turned into the loft placed. the matter, as we considered, beyond any doubt, and we had virtually sold the pigeon as a promising young cock, when all doubts were set at rest by the naughty bird laying. We have known more than one case of the same sort, and so does almost any fancier of practical experience. In such cases the actual laying of eggs is the only decisive test ; ~ but they are, after all, very rare and exceptional, and we only cite them to inculcate caution before giving utterance to what may prove an unfounded suspicion. Even “ matching up” is no conclusive test of the sex of pigeons, since it is no uncommon thing for two cocks to pair and sit with the greatest assiduity ; nay, if eggs be supplied them, they have been known to hatch and rear the young,in the most exemplary manner. Much more frequently will two hens pair if they find no proper mates ; but in this case they lay eggs —sometimes two, and sometimes four. In the latter case the four will be in the same nest, and occasionally those of one hen or both may hatch, from a chance connection with some cock in the loft. The strangest thing is that occasionally even proper matches have been abandoned for these strange unions, which are probably due to the great resemblance in pigeons 26 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. between the two sexes. We may also remark in this place that on rare occasions a cock has been known to pair with two and even three hens, taking his turn in sitting with them all. When pigeons are left unrestrained it is a pretty sight to see them courting ; and no one can better the description long ago written by Mr. E. 8. Dixon. “They begin,” he says, “to go together in pairs, except when associated with the flock at feeding times ; and when they are resting on the roofs or bask- ing in the sun, they retire apart to short distances for the purposes of courtship, and pay each other little kind attentions, such as nestling close, and mutually tickling the heads one of another. At last comes what is called ‘billing,’ which is in fact a kiss, a hearty and intense kiss: as soon as this takes place the marriage is complete, and is forthwith consummated. The pair are now united, not necessarily for life, though usually so, but rather durante bene placito, so long as they continue to be satis- fied with each other. If they are Tumblers, they mount aloft and try which'can tumble best; if they are Pouters, they emu- late one the other’s puffings, tail-sweepings, circlets in the air, and wing-clappings; while the Fantails and Runts, and all those kinds which the French call pigeons mondains, walk the ground with conscious importance and grace. But this is their honeymoon—the time for the frolics of giddy young people. The male is the first to become serious. He foresees that ‘the Campbells are coming.’ better than his bride, and therefore takes possession of some locker or box that seems an eligible tene- ment.” If it is quite empty and bare, he carries to it a few straws or light sticks; but if the apartment has been already furnished for him, he does not at present take much further trouble in that line. Here he settles himself, and begins com- plaining. His appeal is sometimes answered by the lady affording him her presence, sometimes not; in which case he does not pine in solitude very long, but goes and searches out his careless helpmate, and with close pursuit and a few sharp MATCHING OF PIGEONS. 27 pecks, if necessary, insists upon her attending to her business at home. Like the good husband described in Fuller’s Holy State, ‘his love to his wife weakeneth not his ruling her, and his ruling her lesseneth not his loving her.’ And so the hen obeys, occasionally, however, giving some trouble ; but, at last she feels that she must discontinue general visiting and long excursions, and enters the modest establishment that has been prepared for her performance of her maternal duties. A day or two after she has signified her acceptance of the new home an egg may be expected to be found there. Over this she (mostly) stands sentinel till, after an intervening day, a second egg is laid, and incubation really commences: not hotly and energetically at first, as with hens, turkeys, and many other birds, but gently and with increasing assiduity. “ And now the merits of her mate grow apparent. He does not leave his lady to bear a solitary burden of matrimonial care, while he has indulged in the pleasures only of their union. He takes a share, though a minor one, of the task of incubating ; and he more than performs his half share of the labour of rear- ing the young. At about noon, sometimes earlier, the hens leave their nests for air and exercise, as well as food, and the cocks take their place upon the eggs. If you enter a pigeon- loft at about two o’clock in the afternoon, you will find all the cock birds sitting—a family arrangement that affords an easy method of discovering which birds are paired with which. The ladies are to be seen taking their-respective turns in the same locations early in the morning, in the evening, and all the night. The older a cock pigeon grows, the more fatherly does he become. So great is his fondness for having a rising family, that an experienced unmated cock bird, if he can but induce some flighty young hen to lay him a couple of eggs as a great favour, will almost entirely take the charge of hatching and rearing them by himself. We are possessed of an old Blue Antwerp Carrier who by following this line was, with but little 28 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. assistance from any female, an excellent provider of pie materials, till he succeeded in educating a hen Barb to be a steady wife and mother.” The fancier cannot, however, afford to let matters settle themselves in this way. He insists on controlling his “ matches” with as much stolid determination as a French papa and mamma devote to the “arranging” of a marriageable daughter, and he fortunately finds his materials about as tractable. If matters are to go thus easily, however, the sexes must, as a rule, be separated during the winter ; for birds left together for long may acquire an attachment it is exceedingly hard to break up. Here, then, is found the advantage of having the loft in at least two divisions. As the pairing season approaches it will be sufficient in nearly all cases to put the two birds it is desired to pair into a matching cage for a few days. A regular “matching pen,” as it is called, is a large cage which has a wire partition that can be slid in so as to divide it into two parts, the hen being placed in one, and the cock in the other. When they have had a couple of days to get used to each other the partition is withdrawn ; they usually settle down at once, and may be turned into the loft a couple of days later with safety. The partition is often not necessary, especially if the birds have been long. unmated. If, on the other hand, they have been previously mated in a union it is necessary to dissolve, it is generally necessary to keep each bird by itself for several days, and always needful to keep them from the sight of the former mate ; otherwise it will be difficult, if not impossible, to form a fresh union. For the same reason, when any bird’s mate has died, it should be kept for a few days alone before being intro- duced to a fresh one. It is sometimes needful to dismatch birds already breeding. The owner may have procured a better match, or found from the early young ones that the match is a failure, &c. In that case, again, the birds should be kept alone for a week at the SETTLING THE BIRDS. 29 very least before being re-mated, and care should be taken that the old companions are placed in separate lofts. For all these purposes, and as ‘“‘ matching pens,” nothing can be better adapted than the wire-fronted shelves already described in our first chapter. When there is any difficulty in matching it usually comes from the hen. A strong bold bird will, especially if she has been matched previously, often thrash the husband proposed to her most severely, and, if left to herself, defeat in this way all pro- posed arrangements. This is, however, only where the birds come together on equal terms ; and can be overcome by taking advantage of the fact that a pigeon most at home in any given place is nearly always master of it. In such a case, therefore, the cock should be left alone in the matching pen, with only a daily fly of an hour to keep him vigorous, and given a little hempseed ; while the hen is kept in a small and rather dark pen quite away from him, also with a little hempseed every day. ' After a few days’ close confinement, about the middle of the morning turn the hen in to the cock, and he will almost in- variably reduce her to submission. Another precaution is very necessary to avoid trouble and loss, and that is, never to turn a lot of newly-matched birds into the loft together. If this is done they will all be quarrel- ling for choice of nesting places; and besides the general hindrance to breeding and damage to eggs, the result will probably be several cross-matches, or divorces and new unions. Turn one pair in by themselves, or two pairs if the loft is clear. They will soon choose a home ; when another pair can be turned loose, and so on till all are vettled, Here, again, will be found the great use of the portions of the shelves which are fronted with wire in the plan already given. Pigeons once thoroughly matched, and turned in judiciously, will generally remain faith- ful throughout the season. For the actual nests we strongly advise earthenware pans, 30 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. There are various patterns of these, but most of them resemble one or other of the patterns shown in Fig. 15, and the exact shape is really not very material. They should not, however, be too deep, or the parents will find a difficulty in getting gently on to the eggs. They are usually to be had at pigeon-shops in large towns, but if unobtainable in this way, a few dozens can always be ordered at the nearest pottery. They should be made thick and heavy, so that they will not overturn with the weight of a pigeon on the edge; and the size across will vary from seven inches for small pigeons up to ten or eleven inches for Carriers and Pouters. The large sizes are better made rather shallow in proportion. Common unglazed red ware is Fig. 15. the usual material. In these nest-pans should be placed coarse pine sawdust, an inch deep—such sawdust as emits a strong odour of turpentine is what we mean. If this cannot be obtained, any coarse sawdust may be made to do by sprinkling a little turpentine upon it, and kneading well with the hands so as to spread the spirit evenly through ; but fine dust is objec- tionable, and liable to get in the eyes of both young and old birds. The advantage of this material is a thorough immunity from insect vermin. Similar sawdust should be laid thickly on the floor of the loft, and will keep all clean and tidy. If laid thinly it will blow up by the action of the wings, but this is not the case if laid down an inch deep. The droppings can be raked off once or twice a week, and the whole renewed, say, once a month, If this plan is pursued there will hardly ever be occasion for complaint or annoyance. PREVENTION OF VERMIN. 31 Some people use birch twigs for the nests, such as are cut off by besom makers in trimming their work. The pigeons seem to prefer these to anything; and as they also have an aromatic smell which seems to repel vermin, where they can be obtained they make an excellent material, but the sawdust is most generally at command. The hopper and fountain will of course be raised on a piece of wood, so as to be above the sawdust on the floor. Another efficacious plan of keeping insects from the loft is to suspend a few bottles, open at the mouth, and filled with bi-sulphide of carbon. The smell is very disagreeable, and seems to keep all insect vermin away, while the pigeons appear not to mind it in the least ; but as the vapour is highly inflammable, those who have to visit their lofts by candle-light must take care not to bring the light near the mouth of any of the bottles. The use of sawdust will answer most purposes. If the proper kind cannot be procured in quantity sufficient to cover the floor, coarse sand or gravel is the best substitute, but the loft must Y then be cleaned oftener, and it is advisable to Fig. 16, keep turpentine, paraffin, or carbolic acid sprinkled about, or to use the bi-sulphide as above mentioned. In any case the slanting boards under the perches, the shelves, &c., must be kept clean by being well scraped at frequent intervals. This is facilitated if they are painted. Much the best form of scraper is the triangular one shown in Fig. 16. It has not only three working edges, but will scrape out corners which a square form cannot reach. We purposely describe none but the earthen nest-pans, from a conviction of their infinite superiority to all others. The only substitute we would admit is a wooden nest-pan, well painted, so as to leave no chink or aperture of any kind, We 32 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. have seen straw nests made as bee-hives are; but any such receptacles would swarm with vermin, and are most objection- able on that account. ‘Two nest-pans should be provided for each division of the shelf or nesting place. With the exception of the very hardiest varieties, pigeons should not be paired till March, early or late in the month, depending on the weather; and they should be separated as soon after the end of August as they have fairly done with their then pair of eggs. Hardy flyers will take no harm if left to themselves, but most fancy pigeons are much weakened by being allowed to breed for more than the above period ; and birds bred earlier or later rarely survive, or come to much good if they do. It may of course be worth while for a fancier to run risks for the sake of getting early birds forward for the autumn shows; but if he does so he must be very careful. Some persons take away the pair of eggs and give them to other birds to hatch, by which means the first hen will lay again much sooner. We have known this plan carried through a whole season. But it is a cruelty, and the hen is almost invariably ruined by it ; in fact, she is generally sold after such a process of “pumping,” the seller knowing—what the buyer does not—that the apparently fine-looking hen is past breeding anything good again. Barren hens are very frequent among the more high-class pigeons. We have just alluded to over-breeding as one cause of this ; but it occurs in so many other cases, that there can be little doubt the highly unnatural developments of the fancier tend to check reproductive power. Such barren birds can sometimes, if in good health generally, be brought into breeding. They will go to nest like other pigeons, and by giving them a couple of eggs from common hardy birds their soft meat will come on, and they will feed as usual. If this is continued a few times, especially if they can have a fair amount of exercise, the result is very often a success. Even if rot, LAYING AND SITTING. 33 these barren birds can often be made very useful ; for a couple of dummy eggs will tempt many of them to sit almost at any time, if put in the pan at the right intervals; and they thus become very handy as feeders, since they will, when the time is up, take young ones and feed them as if they had hatched themselves. Soon after matching—generally ranging from one to three weeks, according to age and time of year—the cock will begin to drive the hen towards her nest, and seem uneasy whenever she is away from it. That is a sign laying is near, and in fact the eggs generally appear in from two to five days after. Two are laid; the first usually about five or six o'clock in the afternoon, the hen standing more or less over it all the next day and night, and laying the second egg about two o'clock on the third day. The young hatch on the eighteenth day from the laying of the second egg. Very rarely three eggs are laid, and we have heard of one or two cases in which four have appeared, but the rule of a pair is rarely broken. These two are in three cases out of four a cock and hen, but by no means always so, as usually supposed; about twenty-five per cent. being pairs of one sex or the other. When one is a hen it is generally the last of the two, and as such likely to be stunted in growth from the earlier hatching of the first, which has had a start by the hen standing over it before the other was laid, and thus gets fed and becomes larger and stronger before the hen is hatched. To avoid this, laying should be watched for every evening, and the first egg taken away and replaced by a nest-egg of bone or a waste pigeon’s egg, to be replaced the evening the second is laid. This plan will save or improve many a‘hen that otherwise would be dwarfed in rearing. It may here be noted that pigeons never eat their eggs, so that the breakage of a waste one, should it occur, need cause no fear of bad habits in this respect. , Weakly hens are liable to be egg-bound or have difficulty D 34 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. in laying. In such cases the cock gets very anxious, and worries and drives the hen to an extent that makes matters far worse. He must, therefore, be shut up, when a drop of oil applied to the hen’s vent will often produce the egg. IE not, the best assistant that we know of is a tea-spoonful of warm treacle mixed with chopped groundsel (rather less for a small pigeon), which we have repeatedly known to be successful, especially if the bird’s vent be held for a few minutes over the steam from a jug of very hot water. After giving these remedies, the hen is best shut quietly in her own shelf, with thick sawdust all over, in case she lays on the shelf instead of in the pan. If she seems recovered in the morning, the cock may be set at liberty ; but if not, he must be kept shut up till the second is laid, which usually gives no difficulty. The laying of the eggs brings us to a very important point —the essential difference between the management of pigeons and of fowls, which it is well to understand thoroughly. Once understood, no creatures are more manageable than pigeons ; but they have their “ ways,” which must be studied. You can, with a little management, set a fowl at any time, on any nest, keeping her waiting for weeks if convenient, or giving her eggs due to hatch in a few days. On the other hand, when she does hatch you must look after her, or her brood will perish, Now it is just the contrary with pigeons. You provide all the nesting conveniences as above described, rather more than sufficient to give a home to each pair of birds; and most of them will take up with one or other of the compartments so provided, if they have been gradually turned into the loft as before advised. But some may not, Now, however this may be, each pair must be allowed to sit and hatch in the place they have chosen. The hen may lay on the floor, possibly ; in that case, all you can do is to provide a little more privacy by placing a brick or board, or something, so as to afford a, little screen, and give her a nest-pan. Even this should be done at HOLDING A PIGEON. 35 night, carefully and quietly, as much in the dark as possible ; done so, such little additions to comfort will generally be accepted, and all will go well enough if care be further taken not to intrude more than absolutely necessary upon those birds which have chosen such an inconveniently public domicile. In fact, in the breeding season only the regular attendant—owner or otherwise—should enter the loft. If he throws down at first a very few grains of hempseéed on each visit, the pigeons will soon get to know him, and allow him—or her—to come quite _. close to the nest-pan without rising, unless of a peculiarly wild disposition. Many will allow the nest-pan to be even lifted and examined without leaving, if care is taken never to startle them by too sudden movements. All “wild” catching must be avoided ; when catching is necessary, it should be done with one quiet but sudden dart, which makes no mistake and causes no disturbance. Treated thus, most pigeons soon get not to mind being caught ; but wild attempts which miss, and send all the birds flying round in terror, may cause the loss of a whole round of eggs. Such inconsiderate treatment also causes disease of the heart, and not a few cases of rupture or displace- ment of the intestines. We have often found the last in birds submitted to us for post-mortem examination, and feel sure it has been caused by violent catching. It may be well here to explain the proper way of holding a pigeon. It can be in either hand ; but in each case, it should be with the breast in the palm (Fig. 17), the head towards the little finger, the legs going through between the first and second fingers, and the thumb across the back. Held firmly, but lightly, in this position, a bird is helpless, knows it is, and never attempts to escape. It can be examined thus in all parts and in all directions, and soon becomes used to being handled. To say the truth, we believe a great deal of the charm of the pigeon fancy lies in the facility with which a bird can be thus held in the hand and examined. A fowl cannot be so; and 36 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. the facility with which pigeons can, as apart from the cumber- some bodies of poultry, and the fragility and wildness of smaller birds, we suspect gives a sense of personal possession and enjoyment which counts for much in the long-run. The hen sits all night, usually coming off about ten in the morning, though the exact time depends a little on the amount Fig. 17.—Houpine a PIGEON. of light. She generally stays off till two or three in the after- noon, during which period the cock takes her place. Not the slightest anxiety need be felt about the eggs being allowed to chill. Many pigeons would die in the shell if not assisted, par- ticularly among the very short-faced birds, whose beaks, when of the quality desired, seem sometimes too short to pierce the shell. When the time is fully up, therefore, and hatching has not begun, if the young one can be heard inside, it will be well VARIOUS HINTS ON ITATCHING. 37 to crack the shell with a pin as near the point of the beak as can be guessed ; or, if after the shell is sprung no progress seems to be made for some time, the crack should be gently extended round the egg. This will save many a young one; and if, on the other hand, they really should die in the shell, it is very desirable to know it, in order that another young one from some other pair, or a pair, if any want shifting, may be given the parents to feed off their soft meat, and save them from “going sick” with it, which is apt to disorder the whole system, and will sometimes upset their breeding for the entire season. Fortunately, most pigeons will take to either a single young one or a pair under such circumstances, whether newly hatched or a few days old. In very hot or dry weather it will be desirable to sprinkle the shelves on which the nest-pans stand with water, in order to keep the eggs from becoming too dry; though pigeons are not so subject to this mishap as poultry, nor is it proper to sprinkle their eggs, as is usual in summer with those of the latter. The fertility of the eggs can be ascertained after a few days in the same manner as usual with those of fowls, by hold- ing them before a candle, when the fertile ones appear dark, the barren eggs as clear as at first. The eggs very rarely perish from cold. When eggs are found barren under valuable birds, it is best, if possible, to exchange them for fertile eggs laid within a day or two of the same time by coarser birds, and thus avoid disturbing the system of the more highly-bred ones. If none such can be had, it is best to take the barren eggs away when sat upon about ten days, before the soft meat comes on, and to keep the birds separate for about ten days more, to keep them from going to nest so soon; they will then gladly pair again, and generally go on with little or no harm. Or they may be allowed to sit out their time, and a young one, a few days old, given them at the proper time to feed them off. For pigeons differ further from fowls in that they feed their 38 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. own young, beginning with a kind of pap, or soft food, which is secreted by the crops of both parents at the date of hatching. It closely resembles curd in both appearance and composition, so that the “ pigeon’s milk ” so often ridiculed is no myth, but a veritable product. It is pumped up by a kind of vomiting action, and greedily swallowed by the young, who insert their beaks into the mouth of the parent for the purpose. A young pigeon’s beak, by the way, is thick, soft, and fleshy in appear- ance so long as the soft food lasts. By degrees half-digested peas or other grain are mingled with the curd, until at last the _ grain is fed pure, and only a little soaked in the crop. Here will be seen the reason of a somewhat softer diet during the breeding season, very old beans or peas obstinately refusing to dissolve, and thus starving the young. If all goes well, how- ever, the diet gradually becomes harder and harder, until the young pigeon is able to pick up for itself. When the young thrive, they grow with a rapidity which is amazing. You can in simple truth almost see the daily increase; and if you cannot, something is wrong. The growth of a chick is nothing to it. Mr. Dixon found a young pigeon to weigh as follows :— When hatched F ry . - ounce. Sixth day . . . . - 4} ounces. Seventh day é é . - 5 4 Ninth day . ‘ ‘ 5 - 8 4 One month . ‘ $ 5 « 12) The last weight exceeded that of the parent, and the figures are very significant if we compare them with the weight of a chicken of the same ages. Mr. Dixon accounts for such extra- ordinary growth by the fact that the young pigeon is so help- less as to be quiet all the time, and has two digestions at work for it besides its own—a reason which is no doubt true. Any way, the fact leaves the fancier in no doubt how his birds are getting on: they are either galloping on, or likely to “go home.” ‘ FEEDING OF THE YOUNG. 39 Very little trouble is likely to happen with most varieties of pigeons, which, if only provided with proper food for them- selves, will take the sole responsibility of the young ones. For this reason we strongly advise that, whatever the preference may be, every beginner should only keep such birds for the first season, during which he will gain experience of their ways and habits. There is a wide variety of such breeds in Jacobins, Dragoons, Antwerps, and any of the so-called “Toy” pigeons, except the short-beaked Turbits and Owls ; the pretty Fantails also feed well. But some varieties, either from being very highly in-bred (such as Carriers and Pouters), or some me- chanical difficulty in their very short beaks (such as Barbs and Tumblers), are “not good feeders,” and require coarser birds as nurses. Flying at liberty very much mends this state of things; and Dr. Ginsburg once told us that he found his Carriers, which were first-class in quality and points, though only kept for private recreation, fed their young with no difficulty, being left to fly round a country house. But in the aviary help is needed for such birds after the first week or so, during which nearly all pigeons can feed their young. Here, however, we are met by another distinction between the management of pigeons and of poultry. A fowl will be a good mother to a brood that hatch the very day after the eggs are given to her ; but it will readily be understood that if you give pigeons eggs which are due to hatch too soon, a supply of soft food will not be secreted, and the young must perish if left to unassisted nature, On the other hand, if eggs were exchanged which were not due till some days after the nursing pigeons would have hatched, the birds would in most cases go “ sick,” as it is called, for a few days at the proper time, after which the supply would go off. For these reasons it does not answer, as a rule, to exchange the eggs, unless those of both the breeding birds and the nurses hatch within a day of one another. It is also better, as a rule, for the squeakers to have the food of their own 40 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. parents at first ; and hence it is usual to exchange the young birds themselves a few days after hatching. It will readily be seen that with pigeons which require nurses it is highly desirable to have at least two pairs of such for every pair of breeding birds, in order that nurses may be ready at the required date. For, as will again be readily understood, the valuable young ones should be transferred to birds which have hatched a few days after themselves, by which they get a larger supply of softer food, and grow the better for it; whereas, if given to parents that hatched earlier, it would be too hard for them. The common squeakers are usually destroyed, but are often, being coarser and hardier in constitution, successfully reared by the more valuable parents; and it is better for the health of these, and gives the hen more rest, if they can be. This is easily ensured by helping them to feed. Though such, however, must be the general rule in “shifting” pigeons, as it is called, a fancier who knows his birds can now and then take liberties. We have occasionally kept birds we desired as feeders as much as seven days on eggs (in one case eleven days) beyond the proper time of hatching, and then given them young ones only two days old. And we have also given some birds eggs which hatched several days before their own would have been due. In neither case was the proper ‘supply of soft food or pap ready for the first day or two; but by helping the young over this stage, in a little time the strong parental instinct has made things right. Such liberties can only be taken with birds proved to be quiet and good nurses, in which point there is a great difference in pigeons, some being wild and skittish, while others allow almost anything to be done with them or to them. Such quiet feeders are invaluable ; and in studying the birds, and getting to know their dispositions, lies much of. the success in pigeon management. Some fanciers will value a proved pair of quiet and good feeders at £5 per pair, and breed them as FEEDER OR NURSE, 4] sedulously as their high-class Carriers, though quite worthless from any other point of view. When feeders are required, they should be chosen with some reference to the kind which has to be fed. Thus, for long and heavy-beaked birds like Carriers, Dragoons make the best feeders, having a similar kind of head on a more moderate scale, They will also feed well any pigeons with average heads, like Pouters, or even Barbs, which have large heads and beaks, though short. But for Barbs, shorter-headed birds, like the weedings of exhibition Antwerps, answer better ; while either would be too coarse in beak for fine-headed young pigeons like shert-faced Tumblers. For these, common Jacobins, or most common Toys, or long-faced Tumblers make good feeders. In all cases the quietest birds should be selected. The transfer should be made in the dark, if possible, and before the plumage is so far grown that the cheated birds can discern any startling difference in colour. With this precaution there is scarcely ever any difficulty ; but we repeat our advice that every beginner should confine himself for the first season to birds which can bring up their own young, that he may grow accustomed to them before attempting more difficult tasks. But we have alluded to “helping” the young while. the natural food from the parent was not forthcoming ; and this may be necessary for several reasons. The parents cannot make the soft food without having food themselves ; and the accidental omission to replenish a hopper may cause the evening or morning supply for all the young squeakers to fail. Or there may be no nurses for the young of bad feeders, whose food has failed after a week or ten days. Must the young ones die in such a case? Not a bit of it. Nothing is more easy than to feed young pigeons artificially after, at least, a day or two. The simplest, easiest, and quickest way is to chew small mouthfuls of some plain milk biscuit into a smooth pap, to take the little squeaker in hand, and feed from the lips, into 42 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. which its beak must be inserted. It will feel for the food greedily enough, and the process is easy if it be remembered that the mandibles must be taken sideways between the lips, so as to open between them ; the tip of the owner's tongue then pushes the masticated food between the open mandibles. We see nothing more objectionable in this than in a young lady feeding a canary ; and by this method a young pigeon can be “ filled up” almost instantly. Those who are so fastidious as to dislike such a proceeding can 'get a small glass syringe with a large aperture ; mash the biscuit up with hot milk, and feed by inserting the point of the syringe into the throat. This is equally effectual, but more tedious ; and should a lot of birds be found starving from such an accident as is hinted at above, time lost may mean several deaths. It is well to examine all the young ones every night, to see if the crops are empty or full; if empty, they should be filled up in one of the ways described. The same failure to feed may occur at a later stage, when the pap has gone off, and the old birds should be feeding with peas or grain only just softened in their crops. In this case, peas must be soaked all night in cold water, to swell and soften them. Before feeding, pour sufficient hot water on them to make them lukewarm,.and opening the mandibles of the squeaker between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, with the second or third finger behind the neck, pass soaked peas down the throat with the right hand till the crop is very loosely filled. The young ones will, after a few meals, eagerly welcome their feeder, and it will, in fact, be almost impossible to drive them away till satisfied. They should always be put back in their own nest-pan till strong enough to leave it of their own accord. Feeders may be dispensed with, and pigeons brought entirely up in this way as soon as their natural food fails, if the old birds sit on them. When thus reared they often become so tame as, to be actually troublesome. And it will be seen that MANAGEMENT OF SQUEAKERS, 43 there is very little need of loss under any circumstances, if only a little attention can be given regularly morning and evening, A great deal of pleasure is to be found in all this, and in watch- ing the produce of each pair grow up to maturity. No such care at all will be needed with hardy birds, except in case of some accident or previous neglect. All they need is to have their hopper properly supplied, and they will bring up their own young ones without troubling anybody. Some young ones are slow to learn to peck for themselves, though this is seldom the case. The difficulty is more often found with birds fed by hand, which sometimes seem to have little idea of even attempting to feed themselves, long after others of the same age are doing so. Much help in inducing birds to peck may be got from mixtures of smadler grain, such as canary-seed, dari, rape, and hempseed. A handful or two of such mixtures, thrown down twice a day, will often induce the young ones to peck, whilst it also helps old birds which are nursing to give a good evening meal to their young ones. When this is not sufficient, a little starvation should be tried : taking care, however, that the young bird is not kept more than twenty-four hours without food. While the young squeakers remain in the nest-pan the sawdust should be renewed from time to time, taking care to perform this, like all operations, so as not to startle the old birds. With this attention, and an examination every night after the first day or two to see if they want any artificial cramming, they should get on. Especially look after the smaller bird of the two, since if one gets much behind the other it is apt to be more and more elbowed aside, “ the survival of the fittest” being a rigorous law in the pigeon world. By judiciously cramming the smaller bird only of a pair, in addition to what it gets from the parents, it may often be brought up to the originally finer one, and both thus saved. Under no cir- cumstances, however, must hard grain be given till the young 44 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. can peck for themselves : they cannot digest it; and the soaking is also needed to supply them with liquid before they can drink properly. In the autumn early-hatched pigeons moult. A partial moult begins as early even as April or May; but about Sep- tember the quills in the wings and tail are renewed, and the moult of the whole plumage is gradually completed. It is to be specially noticed, that at this first moult the original flight- feathers (called by naturalists the primary quills) of the wing, and which are ten in number, are replaced by others consider- ably longer and broader. The tail feathers and secondary quills also are usually replaced by larger ones, but the difference is not so marked as in the primaries, which are therefore taken as the usual test whether a bird is hatched the same year or the one before. If any of the nestling feathers are left it is pre- sumed the bird is a young one, the difference being very marked ; and as many breeds “make up” a great deal with age, this matter is of much importance—perhaps most so in Carriers, Barbs, and Antwerps. The flight feathers being dropped gradually, it has been proposed that every pigeon intended to be shown as a young one should have one of the new flights stamped whilst some of the old ones are left, which would then stamp it as genuine through that winter’s show season, and tend to prevent the frauds which a few unscrupu- lous exhibitors sometimes perpetrate. As a rule, the plan would do so; but there are some late-hatched birds which only moult one or two flights, or even none at all, the year they are hatched. Such will not moult any more till the following autumn ; and if they are of a young-looking sort, which some Carriers are, it has been objected that they might be stamped as young ones the second year, the flights after one moult never increasing in size. Whether owing to this danger or not, the plan has never come into use for public exhibitions, though employed by several private societies. Such exceptions PEDIGREE BREEDING. 45 to the general rule are, however, few, and confined to late- hatched birds; and an amateur may generally conclude, if a bird offered him has in the wing some of the smaller nestling flights along with larger ones of the new growth, that. it has been hatched the same year. CHAPTER IV. PEDIGREE BREEDING. It is impossible to produce pigeons (or anything else) which shall year after year come up fairly to exhibition standard, without understanding something of the meaning of the words at the head of this chapter. The reader must, for instance, purchase some stock to commence with. He will constantly see advertised birds from some one’s “ prize strain,” what is meant being that they are the produce of certain other birds which have won certain prizes at certain shows. Now the question is, what these birds are really worth to him; and it may be that they are worth no more than common price, while, on the other hand, they may be worth a great deal. The immediate reason for such difference in value is, of course, that one set of birds are likely to produce the desired class of young ones, while the others are not; and this every one can under- stand. But since the comparatively worthless and the valuable birds may be apparently alike, and also bred from parents of equal merit (we are putting an extreme case, for there is generally more apparent difference than is here described ; still, the case supposed does occur), the question is, why it is so. The first reply that will probably be elicited by inquiry respecting this important point is that the valuable birds— valuable in spite of their comparatively plain character, perhaps —are from “ Mr. A’s strain” or loft. Observe, not a “ prize” 46 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPEk. strain vaguely, in the sense that they are from some birds which have won prizes, but of Mr. A’s strain ; and we italicise this, because it is the working out of what it means that is the clue to the matter. There is no charm, of course, in Mr. A’s name merely ; it is something he has done that has made his strain thus valuable. What is it? For what one man has done, another may do. What is known as the “family likeness” of children to their parents is familiar to all, as is also the fact that in degree it differs very widely in different individuals. Some- times it cannot be traced to any one feature particularly, but is due to an undefinable general impression the whole person somehow produces; in others, some strongly marked feature can be clearly discerned ; and in yet others no visible likeness can be traced at all, while there may or may not be evident mental and moral resemblances. If, for instance, the father has a well-marked Roman nose, it is likely this feature may be recognised in at least a portion of his offspring; while it possibly fails in others whose faces, nevertheless, show other traces of his lineaments, complicated perhaps with those of the mother or of other members of either parent family. Again, in numerous cases where no resemblance at all can be traced to the parents, there is often a very startling one to the grand- parents, or even to ancestors still further back. Hence it appears that features have a more or less strong tendency to be transmitted to posterity, even beyond the next immediate step in the pedigree ; and peculiar or extraordinary features, such as the possession of six digits at each extremity, instead of five, are often thus transmitted very strongly. Many facts of this class, which we need not specify in detail, have well established the general law that every feature in every animal has some tendency to repeat itself, and would do so more or less, were that tendency not counteracted by others of a different character. Thus, if one of two parents has black hair and the NATURE OF PEDIGREE BREEDING. 47 other brown, the black-haired parent has a tendency to transmit that feature to the offspring, but it is counteracted or modified by the tendency of the other to transmit brown, and by the colour of the hair in ancestors further back. : Now the kind of breeding which is necessary to form a really valuable strain, consists in throwing the effect of all these tendencies into one selected direction ; or, in other words, causing the tendencies of great-grandparents and grandparents, as well as of the immediate: parents, to combine and unite towards the desired object. Let us go to the pigeon-loft for an illustration. It is by no means uncommon to find a Fantail, through some remains or cross of a strain now nearly extinct, with a crest or peak at the back of the head. Strictly speaking, this is inherited from some ancestor; but for present purposes, we may consider it an accidental variation: any way, it occurs only rarely among common Fantails. If only one such bird be bred from, say a hen, it is probable one or two of her progeny will exhibit the crest, the greater part reverting, or “throwing back,” to the usual type in the loft. If a cock can be found—also of the ordinary strain—showing the same peculiarity, the number of progeny exhibiting it will be some- what increased ; but still, supposing: the taint or trace in the strain to be very minute, they will probably not be many, and such plain-headed birds as are produced will not show much tendency to produce crests.¥ But now suppose we can select from this first progeny a pair both crested, and breed them together. We shall now find the tendency vastly increased, so much so that very likely a good half of the next progeny may be crested, and even those which are not will show some marked tendency to produce crested birds. If we breed from this third generation again, still selecting crested birds, the * We are speaking of general average results; occasionally a bird will manifest a power of reproducing his or her own characteristics of an extra- ordinary degree, but this will not affect our explanation. 48 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. tendency to produce crests will have been increased enormously ; and in a generation or two more it will be so strong that a bird not crested will be as rare as a crested one originally was, We have now what is called a “strain,” so far as regards our one point of crest or peak. We have accumulated into one direction—that of breeding a crest—the transmitting powers of many successive generations, and we have thus produced a race of birds which we can depend upon with almost absolute cer- tainty to produce none but crested birds. Suppose, now, that we have been able to keep alive for ten years (not at all an impossible thing with pigeons) the pair of birds with which we started in the series of operations above described. It will be readily understood that they may be almost exactly similar in appearance to a pair of birds we might select from the tenth generation of the progeny; the closest ocular examination might fail to detect any important difference ; and yet it will now be clearly seen that the difference in breeding value would be tremendous. The one pair have, or had—for most pigeons would be past actual breeding at the age supposed—scarcely any tendency to produce crests ; the other pair can be depended ‘on to do so as regards nearly every bird. One pair would represent to a breeder nothing save some foundation on which he might, with care and patience, found a structure hereafter ; the other represents work done, qualities fixed, and a “strain” which only demands ordinary care to preserve in perfection. So far the matter is simple enough ; and breeding would be equally simple did every race possess only one point to breed for. But it will readily occur to most that this is not the case ; that each race is bred for several, if not for many points; and here the difficulty begins. It is, for one thing, impossible to say when the tendency to revert to past faults is—for practical purposes—lost. As to being absolutely lost, it never is ; a point being known to crop up unexpectedly after twenty generations of freedom from it. Hence it will appear that every time a REASONS OF ILL SUCCESS, 49 bird is purchased to cross with, it may introduce tendencies towards features which are not wanted; and not only such as itself possesses, but others which, not appearing in it, are not known. If we consider, therefore, the average mode of pro- ceeding of a young fancier, we shall be at no loss to account for his ill success. As each fault becomes apparent to him, he is apt to purchase a bird to correct it, as he thinks. Each time he does this, some influence really is exerted upon the fault, and if it were followed up, the ground might be secured ; but only little is gained by each early step, and by going off after some other point as soon as the first appears right, he drops the next link in the succession, and nearly all is lost again. But now let him consider this fact: that while there are many faults he knows too well may appear in his pigeons at any time, there are other points he never expects to find, and which, if he did find, he would at once consider proof that he had been swindled into purchasing absolutely impure blood. Suppose he breeds Barbs. He knows too well that he may get at any time a narrow or wedge-shaped skull, or a great deficiency in eye-wattle, or a nearly straight face. But does he expect ever to see a frill on’ the breast? No; though this point is found in many other pigeons. Ora crest? No again; though there is much reason to believe that the Barb was actually bred at one time as a crested bird. Whence the difference 1 The answer is again obvious if we reflect. A clean breast and a plain head have been regarded for generations as essential features of a Barb, and birds which possessed frills and crests have never been bred from. So far as regards these points, not one single link in the chain of succession has been dropped, and thus every generation has added to the stability of the breed. . The result is that those points are sure ; and we learn from it that uncertainty is not a necessary thing as regards any point. It can be overcome, and to overcome it is the work of every fancier who founds a “strain,” and whose birds acquire any 5 50 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. special value. We also learn, again, that the one necessary point in forming such a strain is never to lose a link in the process, or ground already gained ; but to keep definite objects steadily in view. This, however, brings us back again to the difficulties of such a course ; and, first of all, it is impossible to follow out such a methodical system without very considerable in-breeding. It is always found, practically, that a man who is constantly buying other birds to cross with rarely succeeds. We have seen the reason why: he is constantly introducing into his strain tendencies which, being unknown to him, he can take no account of, and which crop up in the most unexpected manner. Therefore, successful breeders always depend mainly upon suc- cessive generations of their own stock. But unfortunately this method has ¢ts limits, which cannot be passed over, on account of the physical deterioration or weakness which results from too close breeding of the same strain. This may be carried very much further, with care, than some authorities are disposed to allow, without any perceptible injury ; but sooner or later symptoms occur which warn the breeder of the necessity for “fresh blood.” It may be he finds perceptible loss of fertility, or his young ones often fail to break the shell, or there is a marked increase of liability to disease, or some other evident falling off — in vigour or in size. Hence an occasional cross from at least another family becomes a necessity ; and this at once brings us back again to the old difficulty of developing not one only, but all the various points which the breeder has in view. The problem may be briefly summed up as follows: We have seen that any given point can be bred with a certainty few beginners have any idea of; but that the means to this end are the con- centration towards it of all the transmitting powers of many successive generations, and never losing any step once gained by going off in some other direction or after some other point, in- asmuch as any such step must undo more or less of what had THE WAY TO COMMENCE, 51 been done. The difficulty is, first, to pursue such a course with out extreme and injurious in-breeding ; and secondly, to har. monise it with the claims of the several points or properties which are so very seldom found together in perfection. The very first step, then,.is to consider the various points required in special relation to the difficulty of obtaining them. Directly this is done, it will be found that some points are obtained much easier than others, a single cross often being enough to impart one property, while generations of careful breeding may be necessary to secure others. Where this seems not so, and the difficulties are more equal, it will still be found that some points are of more value than others, though we suspect that value is determined by difficulty in most cases. This comparative appreciation being arrived at, then, any reader who has followed us will see the conclusion to be arrived at. Picking out one or two of the most difficult points, fasten attention on that one, or at most two, and keep it there. In selecting the first stock, and ever after, pay such heed as possible to other points, but never lose sight of these. Again, at the outset, at least two, and where possible more pairs should be provided, in order to avoid any necessity for across until the new strain is thoroughly established. This is all-important to any one who means to have a strain of his own. We have already seen that there is a tendency in all animals to throw back to long-lost characters; but Mr. Darwin has clearly shown that this tendency is tremendously developed by the mere act of crossing, whenever the cross is real and thorough. Thus it is that when two distinct races of non-sitting fowls are crossed the progeny often recover the long-lost faculty of in- cubation, and more or less of the colour of the wild jungle- fowl. Suppose, therefore, A has been breeding Carriers with chief reference to size of beak-wattle, whilst B has been attending more particularly to the form of that point, and to the development of eye-wattle, A finds his birds have plenty 52 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, of beak-wattle, but very irregularly put on, and with little “eye,” and resorts to B, whose birds show great beauty and regularity of eye, though they have much less beak-wattle than he approves of. He obviously runs two risks. If B can spare him a bird large enough in wattle to “pass” with him, it may be that one is the only one B has anything near the mark; and if so, he loses more than the bird itself appears to justify, since the progeny will tend more to the average size bred in B’s loft. And, secondly, because the two have pursued different lines and sought different points, the mere fact of crossing such distinct strains may of itself develop the old and almost forgotten faults of either or both. From this we see why a cross should not only be good in itself and “well bred,” but the produce of a similar cowrse of breeding to the birds which are crossed ; and the only sure way of securing this is for the same individual to have bred both, when he can tell the latent tendencies of each. Two fanciers, who have an acquaintance of years, and know each other’s lofts thoroughly, can, for the same reason, often be of the greatest assistance to each other, especially if their opinions pretty nearly correspond. Help of this kind would be more common but for a foolish jealousy which is too frequently found, and which leads each to expect all the benefit from a proposed exchange. In all such matters there must be give as well as take ; and if this were clearly recognised much more mutual help might be found than is at present common. Meantime, if three separate families, say, can be started from three related hens, the chief advantages of a cross can be enjoyed for many years without its evils, by keeping a record of pedigrees in any effectual manner that may be preferred. Where another person must either breed together a brother and sister or obtain a cross, a breeder thus provided can take a bird from one of his other families, which in the course of breeding has reached about the same point by the same means, and will thus produce HINTS ON BREEDING. 53 similar effects. He thus keeps his strain in his own hands, and can carry out all those further details of selection which have constantly to be attended to if any high standard of excellence is to be maintained. With the produce of the first birds selected as above de- scribed, the first year’s breeding comes to an end. ‘As that produce comes to maturity, or approaches it (different varieties are very diverse in this respect, some taking several years to mature, while others are as good the first season as ever after), they will, of course, be carefully scanned. If the proportion of satisfactory birds is good, it shows that the pair have not only been of good breeding themselves, but have “hit” well to- gether, in which case both should be kept, unless too old for further breeding. In selecting the progeny, that selection should be first made for the same one or two points before decided upon as hardest to produce, Meat to these, but never superseding them, let selection be made for other points in order of their presumed value, and paying little heed, if neces. sary, to such points as can be gained at any time by a single cross. If one or two birds should happily appear which not only show the first one or two points in degree approaching perfection, but the other desired points also, let them be treasured accordingly. Some people are, when thus fortunate, tempted to sell by a good price ; but this is short-sighted policy. At such a stage in the history of a strain, the owner cannot afford to sell such birds ; later on, and when he has the reason- able prospect of producing more of the same sort, he may, but he should not now. Having selected, then, the best of his first year’s produce, there are several ways of proceeding. (1.) They may be matched for next year with their own parents; and if these are of good quality and suit them fairly, this is a. very good plan. (2.) They may be matched with adult birds other than their own parents; and if these also have bred really well, and are somewhat related in blood, this plan 54 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. may answer ; but, for reasons already seen, it is not advisable when the other pair is a total cross. (3.) They may be matched inter se, brother to sister; and this answers well when there has been no previous inter-breeding. (4.) They may be matched with young birds from another pair. If there are good birds enough, and there is room in the loft, we advise all these plans being pursued, by which all degrees of temper in the strains first started with may be secured, and enough crosses obtained at once to last for many years. But in all cases, whenever any pair of birds has been found to breed extraordinarily well, it is best to keep them together as long as they will breed. The birds themselves will thus get thoroughly settled together, which facilitates successful rearing of young. The second year’s breeding should show some advance, not, perhaps, in the actual development of the most desired points in any one bird, but rather in the proportion of birds which exhibit a satisfactory development of them. It cannot be too well remembered that this—the proportion of good birds—is the real test of progress in a strain. What is called “good blood” is now so widely distributed by sales from various lofts, that ex- traordinary birds sometimes occur by what can—so far as any human skill or method is concerned—only be called chance. We have already seen that such are of little comparative value in reproducing their like; but any perceptible increase in the proportion which show fair quality, represents real ground gained and real work done, and there is the greater probability that birds showing more than fair quality will appear. Further advance still will be made the third year; indeed, it will now be found that (in all but one or two of the most “high-class” varieties) the one or two cardinal points have become, to a very fair extent, certain in the new strain. And now mark the result, The proportion of birds which show these will be now so large, that out of them there will be little difficulty in selecting for breeding those fairly perfect in the neat most important points. NECESSITY OF PATIENCE. 55 And so the process will go on; but we need not follow it further. The principle of action, it will readily be seen, is as simple as can be. Every variety has some point or points which above all others demand the longest breeding and patience to acquire ; and on these should attention first be fixed, and kept there, gradually giving attention to others, not by turns, but just as fast as (and no faster than) the increased number of birds good in the first points, and therefore so far admissible to breed from, enables selection to be made for the next point desired. In this way every year will show a sure and steady increase in quality ; and, after the first two years, that improvement will be so rapid as to be almost beyond belief ; provided, of course—what is clearly implied—that the best birds, from the breeding point of view, are never sold, but kept for the loft. A man cannot reasonably expect to make any marked progress, who constantly sells what really represents all the ground he has gained. On the average, however, this proviso will not be found to sacrifice much in the shape of sales ; since it will often be the case that the most valuable in- dividuals for sale or exhibition are not those most valuable for breeding. For the latter purpose we have seen that we must choose, especially in the earlier stages, the most marked excel- lence in one or two points; but for show (and therefore for sale) the best are usually those which exhibit the best average of all points, though they be somewhat inferior in those specially sought. Later on the best for breeding will be also the best for show purposes ; but by that time the amateur will be enabled both to breed and sell also. Many are, however, too impatient thus to wait for results. For such impatience there is no remedy ;.those who do not patiently wait and work in the manner described, will assuredly never create a strain, or learn what skilful breeding really means. When the most cardinal points are thoroughly secured, a little may occasionally be risked. Here, indeed, is one great 56 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. advantage of such a course of breeding as that aescribed. Those cardinal points become at last so jiwed, as it were, that a bird a. few degrees worse in them may occasionally be bred from for the sake of other points which may be wanted. The nature of such a proceeding must, however, be clearly understood. It is simply that the point so fixed is probably only accidentally de- ficient in the chosen bird, which is therefore trusted to “throw back,” or revert to it. Obviously such a step should only be taken with great caution, and never repeated through two following generations; neither should a bird really bad in such a point be ever employed. But a bird not quite so good in the first points may be occasionally risked, though the fact that it is a visk should be clearly understood. It may sometimes help to decide such doubtful questions as to the propriety of any given procedure, if we bear in mind that pigeons, on the average, show a decided tendency to revert to the points of the third previous generation, or their grana- parents. We have found what seemed to us evidence that some other animals show a similar tendency to revert to the fourth generation, or great-grandparents; while the majority, per- haps, follow the immediate parents. This subject is interesting, and at present rather obscure ; but many practical breeders have noted the tendency in pigeons here described, and the knowledge of it may occasionally be of considerable value in determining a match. One thing more has to be said. After all, and with every desire to avoid it, crosses are sometimes necessary. When this is felt, care must obviously be taken to avoid too “sudden” a change of blood, which always brings with it more or less ten- dency to—the breeder never knows exactly what. If, therefore, he can obtain a suitable pigeon from a loft which has a good fraction of the same blood as his own, that will be best. When he cannot, he should pair a selected bird with a good one of his own, the furthest removed his loft can furnish from the family EXAMPLE OF OLD FANCIERS. 57 it is desired to refresh. Then the best bird of the produce should be selected for the actual cross. By this means much risk is avoided, and much time may eventually be saved, since it may take years to finally get rid of the results of any rash experi- ment which turns out badly. The method of breeding which has been here described has been more or less followed by all practical fanciers, though it is doubtful if the reasons for it have been clearly understood. One quotation will suffice to show this, from Eaton’s well-known re- production of the “Treatise on the Almond Tumbler.” This bird, as is well known, is bred for five main points or “ properties,” viz., head, beak, eye, shape or carriage, and feather ; without all which no pigeon is perfect. But observe what is said in the Treatise :—“ There are young fanciers who are over-covetous, who go for all the five properties at once ; they have their reward by getting nothing.” The reason is not explained; but the fact had been discovered by repeated experience, and such a statement of it may fitly close our own remarks upon the subject. We trust these may have made clear what an amount of intellectual gratification is to be derived—quite apart from any mere success at exhibitions—in watching the steady pro- gress of a strain towards a determined point; and how the individuality of a breeder must ultimately become stamped upon it, so that Azs birds, or other animals, can, by intangible but perceptible features, be distinguished from those of others, and become known as his own. ‘The strange power man possesses of thus moulding other animals to his will, is a mys- terious approach, though in lower degree, to the divine opera- tion shown in the creation of species ; and a similar, though lower example of the power of intelligent Will to modify, not only the inorganic world, but actual forms of life. 58 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. CHAPTER V. EXHIBITING PIGEONS. Ir is almost impossible to make any real mark in the pigeon. fancy without exhibiting in some form; by which we mean simply producing one’s own birds in company with others of the same variety for comparison, and exposing them to the more or less free comments of other fanciers. Birds of a very respectable class may of course be produced without this ; but birds of the front rank—such as are fit to hold their own in good competition—scarcely ever, since without actual compari- son the amateur can never know how his own stock really stands. It may be asked, Will it not answer the same purpose to carefully compare other birds when thus shown, and then judge how they rank towards his own? Certainly not. Did ever any mother think her own child ugly? and she is not more blind to its defects than a fancier to those of the birds he has bred. He cannot but exaggerate in his own mind their good properties and tone down their bad ones; and so much is this the case that, even if his birds at a show are far apart from others, it is almost impossible for him to judge them fairly. No; he should see them side by side with others, and thus only can he learn how they really stand, till years of experience have put him quite beyond our teaching. At most shows there is sufficient good feeling and freemasonry to allow of any birds being thus taken out of their pens and compared with others—of course, under proper supervision—and in this way much may be learnt; whilst personal conversation will bring to light points the owner never dreamt of. The money consideration is also important to most people. Good birds can only be procured at good prices—rather large prices in some varieties—and unless some can be sold also at EXHIBITION A MEANS OF SALE. 59 good prices it is impossible breeding them can pay. Shows are the greatest help towards selling really good birds; and a really first-class price now and then is a wonderful help towards expenses. We give the following as prices which have been realised during the last few years within our own personal knowledge ; and it is worth noting that in most cases they were reaped by genuine private breeders, and not by the leviathan dealers who are sometimes supposed to monopolise this sort of thing. Carriers, £100 (twice) and £60; Pouters, £55, £50, £48; Barbs, £30, £25; Dragoons, £25 (three times) and £20; English Owls, £50, £40; Turbits, £35, £30 ; Antwerps, £50 (twice) and £35. These birds were of course the pick of their several varieties, and in some of the cases the above prices were given by dealers for their possession. Fair prices would be reaped much oftener by young breeders did they have the modesty to confine themselves to one sort, or at most to two, the second of which was either useful as a “feeder” for the other, very similar to it in character, or very dissimilar. Such a limited field of effort may be mastered, as has frequently been done; and a second variety, selected as above, will not spoil the inexperienced eye, as any other’ choice is almost sure to do. The exhibition so necessary need not necessarily, however, be at public shows or for money prizes. In nearly every large town there is now a respectable Columbarian Society, holding monthly meetings; and at these meetings the amateur can exhibit his birds without the fatigue of long journeys and long confinement, taking them himself, and returning them after a very few hours to their loft, thus getting their merits canvassed in the freest and most friendly way possible. This will answer every necessary purpose if the birds shown by other members of the society are good enough—a fact that can readily be ascertained. Really first-rate quality can be sold by this kind of exhibition us readily as by the other; and there are 60 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. certain well-known breeders who are scarcely ever known to exhibit in any other way. Exhibition at public shows is a severe tax on most birds, and they should not be too often exposed to it. Hens of many varieties are speedily rendered useless by over-showing; and well-known show hens should therefore only be purchased with extreme caution for the breeding-loft. The evil is made worse very often by neglect of proper attention. For instance, heavily-wattled breeds need a trough, which must be inside the pens, since they can neither see to feed properly from the floor of a pen or get their heads through to the outside ; the latter . disability also applies to water. These matters are, however, improving, and it is not our purpose in this work to give any details as to the management of shows. Pigeons are sent either in boxes or baskets. For a single bird or a pair, any box, not less than six inches deep and of a suitable size—such as grocers have by scores—will do, boring a few half-inch holes round near the top. If such a box is for a pair of birds a thin partition must be fixed in, not square, but slanting, as at A B in Fig. 18, so as to fit the general shape of the bird and keep it from turning round. For a A larger number of birds Fig. 19 is the best box a with which we are “—{B acquainted, and is the result of many trials. The wood for the out- Pig. 18. side is made as thin as consistent with strength, the upper edges being scolloped out for ventilation. The partitions and inner lids are not only very thin— 3, of an inch is sufficient—but are pierced with large holes as thickly as can be arranged. This plan pro- motes ventilation, as well as saving weight. Near the bottom BOXES FOR TRANSIT OF PIGEONS, 61 of the large end of each division of the box two or three holes are bored to admit air, which, passes out through the perforated lids and scolloped outer edges. In the box here figured the inlet holes were made zm the bottom; but this plan is objectionable for two reasons—(1) It necessitates "Fig. 18. straw at the bottom, anything else shaking through the holes ; and (2) whenever the box is set down, unless raised from the floor by knobs or feet as shown in the figure, all inlet of air is stopped altogether, except through the top, and consequently the birds are often taken out reeking with perspiration. The use of feet to some extent avoids this, but not altogether, and weakens a thin box considerably ; while by making the holes near the bottom, but in the sides, all difficulty is avoided. The 62 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. box here figured was smaller than usual, being made for six Almond Tumblers ; it measured 20 x 9 x 74 inches, and weighed only 4 lbs. 9 0zs. The cover is kept down by a buckled strap, which must be fixed lengthwise to give any comfort in carrying. For larger birds, such as Carriers, a different arrangement would be better if the box is meant for hand-carriage to society meetings, width being more awkward in carrying than length. Instead of putting six birds across, we should prefer to arrange a Carrier-box for four birds, arranged lengthwise as two pairs. For railway use width is of less importance, and the plan figured is simplest; but it should not be forgotten to adjust the height so that the box will go under the seat. A Scotch friend of ours strongly advises home-made papier- mache for boxes, as both stronger and lighter than wood. Those who wish to try this mode of manufacture should dissolve one ounce of Scotch glue in twenty ounces of boiling water, and the last thing before using stir into it, a little at a time, twenty grains of chrome alum dissolved in ten ounces more of hot water. This will entirely prevent the glue being ever affected by damp, and keep the whole manufacture hard and stiff; but no more must be prepared than can be used at a time ; as when once cold and stiff, no amount of heat will re-dissolve glue to which chrome alum has been thus added. Sufficient sheets of any waste paper can be glued together with glue thus prepared, and left to dry in a press. As a rule, baskets are however most used, and are on the whole preferred by the most experienced exhibitors. They are light, strong, and afford good ventilation. The square-made, oblong butter-baskets do excellently, fitted up as follows. Line the sides only with unbleached linen or calico. Across the middle, a very little below the tops of the two longest sides, fix a strip of wood about three-quarters of an inch wide and half an inch deep, and stitch to the inside of the sides one straight parti- tion of the linen. Stitch other partitions of the same material BASKETS FOR PIGEONS. 63 diagonally (all pigeon compartments should be wider at the shoulders of the birds), according to the size; for our illustration we have taken a small basket, and only made one diagonal in each half, the whole thus taking four birds. Now make two open flap doors, either of light wire or wicker, just large TT Net on 3 —4— _——= SSF = | Me —s al Fig. 20,—PiaEon BASKET. enough to lie, their inner sides on the middle piece of wood, and their outer corners on small supports fixed in the corners of the basket. Drive in small staples over the inner wire or piece of wicker into the wood, and these will form hinges. A better basket than this cannot be had, such open flaps having not only the advantage of allowing freer ventilation than more elaborate baskets afford, but making it impossible for any bird to be over. looked, as very often occurs when close lids are employed. The same plan may be applied to a basket of any size, Bare wicker 64 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. is apt to catch and ruffle the plumage, as well as giving too much draught in bad weather. Fantail cells should be “shaped” very carefully ; and even then it is almost impossible to get this variety to a show without some damage to the tails. A. basket should never be lined at the top or bottom—only at the sides, to keep off wind. For the bottom, we infinitely prefer tan to anything else: it is clean, very conducive to health, a natural antiseptic, and keeps the birds in good condition. Where they can be got easily, hops are also good for the same reasons. Next we prefer cut straw ; long straw makes pigeons dirty on a long journey. White pigeons sometimes require to be washed. In that case use soft water at 90°, with good curd soap, and a very little blue—just a shade. Use the soap freely, and wash well ; after that, the great secret is to wash every particle of soap completely out, and to dry by hand. That is, hold the bird, turning it about, a moderate distance from the fire till it is nearly or quite dry. Light Silvers often look dirty, but cannot be washed so well, the process taking off the peculiar powder called “bloom,” of which pigeons have so much, and thereby spoiling the effect completely. On the other hand, the removal of that same bloom will considerably improve a poor bluish-black. Faulty colours are oiled by some people, but such tricks are so evident as to be more disgusting than anything else. The best that can be done for any faulty-coloured bird capable of being improved by more richness is done as follows, which is not considered unfair. Work the palms of the hands violently together (or adopt any other mode of exercise) till they perspire pretty freely : then take your bird and stroke it persistently with the moist hand. In this way the bloom is removed, and an imperceptible “ polish” given, which in some cases is very remarkable for such simple ‘means. A judge who gives a prize to an “oiled bird” never ought to be asked to judge again. Perhaps some little exception. HINTS ON EXHIBITING. 65 may be allowed as regards the heads of some black pigeons, such as Barbs, which often have to be washed, and would then look very dry if shown in such a state. When such washing is neces- sary, therefore, some people think it no wrong to put a small par- ticle of butter on the still wet head, and wipe thoroughly in with a damp towel. This process restores the brilliancy of look, but requires great care not to overdo it; the secret is to put the butter on while wet, and then with the wet towel endeavour, as it were, to get it all off again. It is perhaps fortunate that the process is only capable of being successfully applied to the fine short feathers of the head, and we have seen it overdone even there. Strictly speaking, it is an artificial improvement ; but it is generally done by people who know how, and is at all events a comparatively innocent kind of thing. We hold, however, that if any grease be apparent, even on the head, it ought to disqualify. Pigeons shown in pairs should be separated a few days— and only a few, say two or three—before the show. When they come together in the show-pen, their mutual gratification will cause them both to show to the best advantage they are capable of. ; ‘Never return a pigeon to the loft after exhibition till you have given it a most careful scrutiny. If the crop is empty and it seems “done up,” see that it both eats and drinks, and only moderately at first. If anything seems the matter, keep it apart till you see what i is. Attention to these simple instructions may save many birds and much trouble. 66 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. CHAPTER VL CARRIERS. Tur Carrier seems to have been the most esteemed pigeon in Moore’s time, and it is, upon the whole, the most popular pigeon still; twice the amount of money, at least, being annually spent upon this bird that is expended on any other variety. From an anecdote quoted by the old writer just named, it would appear that the original progenitors of the breed really obtained the name by carrying messages; and when we consider that Moore only describes the eye-wattle as the size of a shilling, and the beak as an inch and a half in length, there is nothing in- credible in this. It is plain, in fact, that Carrier, Horseman, and Dragoon were allied names given to closely allied races, and that the whole were bred up from one original stock. Some Dragoons of the exaggerated London -type prevalent some time ago would closely resemble Moore’s description of a Carrier, and that this pigeon is a fair homing or message-bearing bird is well known. In the process of development the Horseman has naturally disappeared, being of that medium type fanciers never care much about. Still it is remarkable how little, as regards head-points (the principal properties of a Carrier), we can improve upon Moore's description, which is still, of all we have seen, the best adapted for explaining to a novice what is desired. It must first be explained generally that the Carrier is a long-headed pigeon, having the cere round the eye developed into a broad circular surface of whitish naked substance, called by Moore the “ eye,” and by modern fanciers the eye-wattle. The warty substance visible on the beak above the nostrils in all pigeons is also enormously developed into a large, whitish, cauliflower-looking substance, called the wattle, or beak-wattle. Moore then BLUE CARRIER. CARRIER PROPERTIES. 69 describes the Carrier as having twelve points, or “ properties,” viz. — 1. Three in the beak ; 2. Three in the [beak] wattle ; 8. Three in the head ; 4, Three in the eye [wattle] ; which are further particularised as follows :— 1. The properties of the beak are to be (a) long, (6) straight, and (c) thick. | 2. The wattle ought to be (a) broad across the beak, (0) short from the head towards the apex, and (c) tilting forward from the head. 3. The properties of the head are (a) its length, (6) its narrowness, and (c) its flatness. 4, The eye (or eye-wattle) ought to be (a) broad, (6) round, and (c) of an equal thickness. To these, Moore remarks, “some add the distance,” or space between the hinder part of the waitle and front edge of the eye-wattle ; but as this disappears with age when the development is large he will not allow it to bea property. On this point see our remarks further on. The length of beak is now measured from the point to the centre of the eye itself, as the only certain method ; and Moore’s length has been increased to two inches, or even occasionally more, though an eighth less is very good if the head be well proportioned. Formerly the length was often taken from the nearest corner of the eye-lid ; but as some eye-lids are much wider across than others, this method gave some birds considerable advantage, without any really greater length of “ face,” as it is called, and has been practically abandoned. It is not difficult to procure birds that will breed mere length of beak ; but it is difficult to procure length combined with the other properties, and a good head and beak 1{ in. measure are infinitely to be preferred toa face over two inches which is deficient in other points. . 70 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. Straightness of beak is a rare point. The growth of the peculiar substance termed the beak-wattle seems to have a natural tendency to both shrivel up and curl the upper mandible, so as to leave a space between the upper and lower. This fault is increased in some birds by the neglect of the owners, or their desire to boast of the length of the face. When pigeons are fed from a hopper the upper mandible always has a tendency to overgrow, which is not the case when the food is pecked from the ground ; and if Carriers are left to this tendency unchecked, the result may be a two and a quarter inch face. But such a beak is worthless, being excessively curved, and tending ever to get worse and worse. The beak should rather be trimmed back occasionally to little more than the length of the lower mandible, and keeping the lower edges as straight as possible, and in this way the length lost is more than compensated by the improved appearance and health of the bird. The last con- sideration is very important. The mouth of every creature is intended to be moist internally ; but when the upper mandible becomes so curled as to leave a space between it and the lower, an unnatural dryness of the mouth is produced, which not only causes canker and other affections of the mouth or throat, but, indirectly, other diseases, Young birds which require it are often manipulated while the mandibles are soft, to straighten the beak ; but such “made” faces can almost always be detected, and not much is gained by it, as it depresses the beak-wattle just where convexity is most desired. In straightness of beak Carriers have improved considerably of late years. The beak should also be thick, and blunt at the point, to give the best effect. It is particularly esteemed if the lower mandible be as thick as the upper. When all the points as here described are fairly combined, we have the “box-beak,” so much valued. Any strain that produces long, straightish, and thick beaks zs of value; and it may probably be found far easier to graft other desirable points on these than to add THE BEAK-WATTLE. 71 good beaks to a strain which wants them, however good otherwise. It may be noted here that a straight beak is not to be confounded with a straight “face,” to be noticed presently. It is also noteworthy, that while old fanciers preferred it black, moderns prefer pale or flesh-colour. The beak-wattle is perhaps, by many people, the most valued point in a Carrier. The day has, however, passed when mere size of wattle is worth everything, for birds can now be readily found with any amount, owing to the long efforts of many fanciers. Mere size is valueless without shape; and here, perhaps, is the greatest change since Moore's time. Taking his first property, a wattle may be wide from side to side, but if flat or hollow on top would be worth little, unless for some particular cross (and very few crosses could do much good with it). His second point, that the wattle should be rather short from front to back, still remains true. This enables the bird to show a good beak in front of the wattle, which adds to the apparent length of face and general “style” of the bird, and is less likely to spoil the beak. A shortish wattle is also less liable to crowd the eye-wattle behind. The third point is to be “ tilted,” by which Moore means that the posterior end be arched well away from the eye, the two wattles going off in two opposite, nearly similar, circular curves. This remains one of the chief points in a good wattle. There are various shapes admired by different fanciers, but they chiefly resolve themselves into two types. One resembles an ordinary peg-top, the steel peg standing for the point of the beak; the other more resembles a walnut, or even a sphere. But the essential points in all are that the wattle be symmetrical, with no great inequalities anywhere or any preponderance on one side, and that it be rather convex in every direction, with no flat, much less hollow, places. Our engraving of a Blue Carrier will illustrate one type of wattle, and Fig. 21 approaches (a THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, the other, but has also some tendency to the peg-top shape. To make symmetry complete, the wattle (technically called “ jew- ing”) on the under mandible must so harmonise with the portions which overhang the lower jaw from the upper, that the upper and lower halves of the beak-wattle seem to balance each other. In these respects the head here shown is a model. We have seen very good wattles of the walnut type which came very forward on the beak. In some cases this makes a bird look uncommonly well, owing to the wattle keeping well away from the eye. It has, however, two objections. The first is that its weight, being so far forward, has a tendency to drag the point of the beak down, which is called being “ down-faced;” whereas one great beauty of a Carrier is to carry the beak horizontally, which is being “straight-faced.” All very large wattles are apt to cause this fault, by the way; but, of course, the more the weight is forward the more it operates. The second evil is that a forward wattle generally impairs the beak, as already Fig, 21—Hrap or Carrier. seen; and this fault makes such birds dangerous matches. They can, in fact, only be safely used for birds which, with plenty of wattle behind, are rather short in front, and have massive, blunt-ended beaks. We may remark also on the “distance” referred to by Moore. As a Carrier ages its beak-wattle grows backwards, but not forwards. It therefore approaches the eye-wattle ; and CUTTING WATTLES, 73 if there was not at first a good “distance” between them, one will obviously crowd up the other, and spoil the beauty of the circular curves, which are replaced by a more or less straight line at the junction. Hence this is a very important point to con- sider, both in judging and selecting breeding stock ; and more attention to it would do more than anything else to check the abuse which has lately grown up in some quarters, and which demands a few words, of cutting Carriers’ wattles. Even in Moore’s time it seems the Carrier wattle was the subject of fraud, cork being then squeezed underneath by sharpers to increase the apparent size. The process now is the exact opposite of this. The birds, having been bred for many years for as much as possible, frequently now develop too much, but of a bad shape ; and hence some act upon the simple plan of breeding for mere quantity, and then cutting into the proper shape. The operation is perhaps not so cruel as some may imagine, the substance operated upon differing from flesh materially ; but that very considerable pain is caused can scarcely be doubted, independent of the fraud. It is usually necessary for those who act thus to cut away a large quantity behind in particular, to clear the eye-wattle; and even the latter has often to be trimmed a great deal at the front edge for the same reason, thus losing the circular shape so much admired. Much indignation has not unnaturally been expressed that the judges “do not disqualify” such birds; but the fact is that absolute proof (which ought always to precede penal proceed- ings) is very difficult. For some time, of course, the cut surface is obvious as such ; but after a few months, when the caulifiower surface has re-grown, this test fails. A suspicious contour in the region of the “ distance” is a more certain and permanent test; but even this is not infallible, for we have known a remarkably honest-looking bird which, to our certain know- ledge, had been “cut” severely ; whilst we can recall others of most suspicious appearance that, to the best of our belief, 74 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. grounded on very frequent inspection from the nest-pan, had either nothing at all or very little done to them. While, therefore, it cannot be doubted that judges should keep a keen look-out, and often act with more stringency, it is quite possible to do injustice in this respect; and we do not think the practice will ever be put down in this manner. A surer remedy for this and many kindred evils in other varieties would be found, did judges attach more weight to a proper balance or proportion of properties. The evil in question has obviously arisen from attaching overmuch importance singly to size of wattle. Now any property is good, with the other properties ; but we hold that when it destroys other properties it is no longer a merit. In this case, exaggerated beak-wattle spoils the beak, causes down-face, makes a thick and coarse neck, and is too often accompanied by a thick and coarse eye-wattle. All these are serious faults, which spoil the beauty of a Carrier, and are contrary to every old tradition. It is easy enough to get one point, such as beak-wattle, if others are allowed to be overlooked for it ; but it is impossible to go beyond a certain point with due attention to all. That other points have been neglected in judging Carriers is notorious ; and in return- ing to a more healthy standard will, we believe, be found the true remedy for abuses of this kind. The head needs little detail. It should be as long as possible from back to front, as flat on top as possible, and as narrow from eye to eye as can be got. In this latter respect, coarse thick eye-wattles quite spoil an otherwise good head. We may add that a very important point, not mentioned by Moore, is parallelism of the head ; that is, the space between the back edges of the eye-wattle should not be greater than between the front edges. Clever sharpers occasionally practise great cruelty on a fine bird which may be too broad in the skull by cutting out a strip of skin from the middle of the head and sewing the two THE EYE-WATTLE, 95 edges together. This process has been detected on one occasion by the thread used for the purpose being left in, through an over- sight ; but it may generally be detected by the unnatural draw- ing together of the top edges of the two eye-wattles. We say “unnatural,” because several types of eye-wattle naturally roll over towards the middle of the skull, and must not be con- founded with the appearance described, which shows that the tops of the eye-wattles have been actually pulled over by the stitches into a position unnaturally near each other. We have lastly (as regards Moore’s scale) to consider the eye-wattle. In his day this had attained the size of a shilling, or nine-tenths of an inch ; but good birds are now often shown which measure an inch and an eighth across, and an inch and a quarter or more is not rare, taken alone, though rare enough in conjunction with the other good points already described. Fraud is sometimes employed to increase the apparent diameter of wattle in exhibition birds. It will be found that the surface can readily be increased for a few moments by spreading out the cere with the fingers; and hence some unscrupulous persons endeavour to make the temporary extension sufficiently perma- ment by awash of gum, which, when dried on the wattle, keeps it stretched to the artificial dimensions. It is, however, a clumsy proceeding, which can only deceive a culpably careless judge, and can be detected in a moment by applying a moistened handkerchief. The wattle must also be round, by which is meant that the eye itself should occupy the true centre of a nearly true circle. This property is apt to fail in two ways. The first has always been a difficulty, and consists in a strong tendency to fail behind the eye, the wattle growing more to the front ; the top also tends to grow heavier than the bottom. A bird that thus fails in the posterior part is termed “ pinch-eyed,” and not one-eighth of the Carriers shown are free from some slight appearance of this inequality. But the neglect of general harmonious proportion has 76 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, produced another fault of late years. There has not been room for the immense wattles produced, and the eye-wattle cannot, therefore, grow circular in many birds, but is much deeper from. top to bottom than it is in width from side to side: in fact, what should be a circular curve in front becomes a near approach to a straight line. This fault has become so common that many judges as well as exhibitors condone it, and are satisfied if the. perpendicular oval thus produced has as much behind the eye as in front. But we must contend that the standard thus set up is a false one, which destroys all esthetic beauty in a Carrier, and is yet another example of the evil of developing any one property so as to impair others, or out of due proportion. Lastly, the eye-wattle is to be as nearly as possible of equal thickness all over. Obviously, as we want the head to be narrow, this uniform thickness should not be great, or the character of the head is destroyed ; and this brings us to a very important question in Carrier breeding. There are totally different classes of eyes. The best is a thin type, but full of small wrinkles, arranged nearly in concentric circles, like the petals of a flower, and which, on this account, is termed by some fanciers a “rose” eye. It occurs of different sizes, and of slightly harder or softer texture; the former kind, when large, standing up high above the skull, like pieces of thick cardboard ; the latter having more tendency to roll inwards towards the median line of the head. All eyes of this kind, however, are of harder texture than those to be presently described, and are therefore comparatively free from the “spouts” which are so. troublesome in the fleshy eyes. For the same reason, however, it is very difficult to get them very large without a falling-of in beak-wattle, no bird appearing able to develop above a certain total quantity of this more solid material, and any great excess in either being, therefore, counterbalanced by deficiency in the other. But we have seen many birds with an inch of this kind of eye which had splendid beak-wattles; and as an KINDS OF EYE-WATTLES. q7 inch is as much ag there is room for to be truly circular, we must consider this kind of eye to be the true Carrier type, and the only one which preserves all the acknowledged charac- teristics of the bird. It is usually of a slight pinky or flesh colour; and we have heard a judge object to this, but never when he had any pretension to a practical knowledge of the pigeon he was judging, the thinner and harder eyes being pre- ferred by all Carrier breeders of whom we have ever asked a question on the subject. On the other hand, this kind are far more liable to be “pinch-eyed” than those next to be described. This is what is known as a thick or “fleshy” wattle—a kind that has greatly increased of late years. There can be no doubt that this formation has sprung up from the long- continued breeding for immense development, which has pro- duced a more soft or spongy kind of the peculiar formation of which wattle consists. This kind of eye is usually whiter than the other, and has much less of lacing (or fine wrinkles) in it ; it is also much less liable to grow “pinched.” For these reasons such soft and fleshy wattles often appear exceedingly attractive in young birds; indeed, prizes are generally given to them the first season, since they alone usually have sufficient ‘development to contend in the show-pen. But as they get older their beauty is almost always lost in various ways. There is no “distance,” or not enough; so that as the beak- wattle makes up, both eye and beak-wattles are crowded to- gether ; and they grow at last so thick that we have measured many birds which were over an inch and a half from outside to outside of each eye. Some of these birds had been great prize-takers, and the best of them had enormous beak-wattles of excellent shape (though some of this had been got by cutting); but such a width is, in our opinion, contrary to the whole character of the bird. No doubt the eye-wattle had rolled over the skull, so as to make the width of “feather” 78 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. between eye and eye very little; but the effect of the whole head was thick and chubby, and so far quite contrary to the Carrier type. But there are other disadvantages of this kind of eye wattles. They are a constant source of misery to the bird. The wattle, being so thick and soft, as the bird gets old often falls down more or less over the eye. This has to be cut off, and the bird is then relieved for a time; but the wattle grows so fast that the process has often to be repeated a second or even a third time. Still more constantly, however, these fleshy wattles form under the eye what are known as “ spouts,” or, in other words, a groove or gutter, from which fluid con- stantly flows. This is generally supposed to be caused by the thick wattle pressing on the eye-ball, and thus causing irrita- tion, the resulting fluid causing the spout; but we are inclined to think the usual cause is precisely the opposite, and that the heavy wattle draws the lid away from the eye. If the reader pulls his lower eye-lid away from the eye-ball for a few moments, the irritation felt and the secretion of fluid which follows will show at once what we mean; and in no other way can we ex- plain the constant occurrence of small pimples on the inside surface of the eye-lids in these cases. Any large eye-wattle is rather subject to form a spout, which may also follow a peck from another bird, or any other injury; but the fleshy-eyed birds are far the most subject to it; and as the constant dis- charge from the eye is very weakening, this is a very serious consideration, and a strong reason for preferring thin-eyed birds. Besides the head-points which have now been described, Moore justly lays great stress upon a long and thin neck, which was even then beginning to be deemed a property. It is con- sidered so now in the fullest sense, and it almost invariably carries other properties with it. For instance, a Carrier should have good length of thigh and leg, and be as long in feather OTHER PROPERTIES. 79 (ie, in wings and tail) as possible, without the end of the tail tipping the bird forward ; but we have never found these properties fail when conjoined with a good neck, which there- fore virtually includes them. The neck should be as thin as possible at both extremities —that is, thinning almost suddenly from the shoulders, and running up to a fine, clean- cut gullet; and a bird with these properties and their relatives —that is, with long thin neck, long limbs, and long tight feather—is said to be fine and “racy”-looking. It may be added that these latter properties have most of all to do with any real wsthetic beauty in a Carrier, and that they are rarely found in old birds, The fact is that the great weight of wattle puts so much strain upon the muscles of the neck and gullet, that it necessarily becomes coarse with the continued effort to sustain the loaded head, precisely as the blacksmith’s arm thickens with exercise; and here again, therefore, we have a strong reason for insisting that certain points shall not be de- veloped in mere size any further than is consistent with other properties. Nine-tenths of the Carriers shown are black or dun, which are both self-coloured all over. The black should be a real black, and not a dull bluish-black tinge. Very good blues with black bars are also often shown, though they mostly fail in colour, being smoky or chequery, owing to the strong dash of black Carrier blood in them ; but blue being one of the most natural colours in pigeons, this fault will doubtless be gradually bred out. Of late some fairish white Carriers have also been shown; but we cannot say we have ever yet seen a thoroughly good bird of this colour, and it will probably be’ some years before such are produced. In breeding for colour, black is usually considered the superior, dun being really a kind of complementary colour to it, As long as blacks remain rich, with a metallic lustre, they may be bred together; but whenever the colour fails, 80 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. and becomes sooty, or bluish, or dull, it is necessary to re- fresh it by a cross with a rich dun. It unfortunately happens that the best duns for this purpose suffer most from exposure to the sun, becoming mottled and pale; but this cannot be helped. It has long been the custom to match black cocks with dun hens; and this has naturally resulted by degrees in a scarcity, comparatively, of dun cocks and black hens. For this very reason, it is well, whenever pos- sible, to match the birds the other way ; when, if the progeny is good, they can compete in the classes which show least competition. Blues have to be matched occasionally to blacks to keep up the head-properties, choosing for this purpose a black as blue in shade as can be found. The best match is to put a black hen to a blue cock. Blues may also be matched to those light-coloured birds called silvers, when such can be found good enough. One great difficulty in breeding blues is to get the lower part of the back, tech- nically called the “rump,” of a dark shade, the natural blue pigeon having that part of a very light colour. Various crosses have been tried to overcome this difficulty, and Mr. Fulton recommends, as one of the best, to match a light dun hen with a blue cock, which may probably produce one or two blue-chequers; when pairing such a bird back to the blue will probably produce what is desired. Whites have been, in our opinion, produced by matching pale blues to white Dragoon hens as stout as can be got. The produce is generally a splashed bird, and by choosing the most white, and matching them according to opportunity to pale light-rumped blues, silvers, or even the lightest-coloured duns, the colour is obtained, We should ourselves be very much inclined to try a cross with a white Scandaroon—a breed which we are certain is closely related to the Carrier, and which has already length of face, though with an ugly downward curve. In breeding all colours of Carriers, there are several impor- NECESSITY OF VIGOUR. 81 tant general rules to keep in mind. One of these is that this variety cannot be bred in-and-in so long as many other pigeons. It appears that vigour of constitution is necessary to keep up a good quantity of the peculiar growth which forms the “ wattle,” as is, indeed, natural enough ; for this reason, while in-breeding will often improve shape and style of wattle, it almost always, after one or two generations, begins to diminish size. Hence an ocasional cross is absolutely necessary ; but the breeder should endeavour, for reasons already given, to provide these as far as possible in his own loft. We have seen an extraordinary improvement in growth of wattle produced by one cross on a well-bred strain of birds which had thus been run “ too fine.” A still more important thing for the Carrier breeder ever to keep before him is to keep up health and vigour im his hens. In a highly artificial breed like this, the natural difference in vigour of the two sexes is much intensified. Hens, as a rule, are hatched second in the nest ; and as Carriers do not feed so easily as other pigeons (except short-faces), they are very apt to become stunted. It is ten times as difficult to procure a large and strong Carrier hen with good points as a cock; and such a hen is, therefore, always worth buying, whether immedi- ately wanted or not. But what we would particularly impress upon the amateur is to breed himself for strong hens. Care should be taken to take away the first egg till the second is ready, as already mentioned, and thus prevent the (probable) young cock from getting the start; and especially, when it is believed a hen is hatched from the best birds, it may be given the whole food from an extra pair of feeders. If these cannot be had, it is well worth while sacrificing the young cock (unless unusually promising) for the sake of improving the hen. Again, if the amateur lives in the country, and can manage it, it is an excellent plan to let the young hens fly at liberty for at least a few months, More than this can generally not be allowed, as liberty seems to check the growth of wattle, while it G ‘ 82 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. hardens it. But unless the bird is wanted to show as a young one, it is not desirable the wattle should grow too fast in the early months, and liberty will do much, not only to strengthen the constitution generally, but so to harden the eye-wattle that it will be far less likely to run into spouts later on. Birds inclined to be fleshy-eyed are peculiarly benefited by such natural treatment; indeed, there can be little doubt that the soft and fleshy texture has been developed mainly by continuous breeding in confinement in a somewhat warm temperature, and that liberty tends to produce return to a harder and better condition. We therefore, wherever it can be done, strongly advise flying young Carriers, but breeding hens especially, up to the age of six or seven months; after that they must be kept to the aviary in most cases, or the growth of waitle will probably suffer, and the beaks become too dark. Length of feather is kept up by breeding from birds hatched tolerably early in the year, late-hatched birds being nearly always short in quill, and transmitting the same quality to their progeny. -As regards mere size of wattle, also, it is to be ob- served that this is often lost, in some degree, by breeding together young birds on both sides—i. ¢., birds hatched the season before. On the other hand, these young ones are apt to produce the longest-necked and most ‘racy ”-looking progeny ; so that the breeder has in his hands considerable control over these points, apart from the properties of his strain, The most usual plan is to put a full-grown cock with a young hen, endeavouring thus to combine good development with fine neck and gullet, and also because cocks will generally breed long after hens are often barren. If, however, pains are taken to preserve the constitution of the hens, and, above all, if those found to breed good stock*are not shown much, they can be preserved with their breeding powers unimpaired for many years. Nothing destroys the constitution of a Carrier hen more surely than often showing her ; and it does not pay to exhibit one proved to breed PRIMARY POINTS IN BREEDING CARRIERS, 83 well at any but a first-class show. These are very few—only two or three in a season; and this a strong hen should bear without injury. In commencing to breed Carriers, we strongly advise taking as primary points beak-wattle and beak, but laying as much stress on good shape of beak-wattle as its size. LEye-wattle can be got at almost any time by a cross from the large fleshy-eyed birds, which often make good matches for those which have otherwise good heads, but are wanting in eye. The beak-waittle should, however, be always kept in mind, and no marked fault in it on one side be left without a corrective. For instance, a wattle of the peg-top stamp may very likely run small and pinched towards the front, where it runs on to the nostrils; which is, indeed, one of the most common faults of any. Now if the breeder should have in his loft a bird, otherwise fairly suitable, of the walnut or spherical type of wattle, set perhaps too far forward, somewhat as if a large marble were threaded on the beak, such would make an excellent match, and be likely to produce some excellent beak-wattles: showing also good “distance” from beak-wattle to eye. Generally speaking, a hollow or flat place, either on the top or sides of the middle of the beak-wattle or towards the front part of it, are the most frequent faults; and a wattle well filled there, or showing a fairly symmetrical convexity all the way from back to front, is always of high breeding value. Such a bird, unless the whole wattle is enormous, will rarely be very crowded in the posterior portion; whilst those with large wattles, but rather hollow in the front or middle, often are, the wattle seeming to make its growth behind. Take it all in all, therefore, a tolerably straight and massive beak, with wattle well filled in the middle and front, are the chief points. Great size of wattle alone, however, is always worth some- thing. However hollow to the front, and correspondingly crowded and overgrown behind, by matching it to a smaller 84 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. harder wattle, well arched from the eye behind and full in front, there is a great probability of getting good progeny from it, And if a bird has both good size and shape of wattle, a com- paratively short face need not hinder its being of the greatest value in the loft. For more detailed information on matching different types of Carrier heads, illustrated with diagrams of various kinds of wattles, we must refer to the “ Book of Pigeons,” by Mr. R. Fulton, where the subject is gone into with great minuteness, and where much other practical infor- mation on Carrier breeding can be obtained. In selecting the young birds which are to be retained, the great point is to choose those which are well filled up in the middle and front of the wattle, and arch well away from the eye behind. Such are very unlikely to become really bad in shape; whereas any wattles which rise up high at the extreme back when young, or appear at all straight in their “lines” towards the beak, are almost sure to become more and more hollow with age. The eye will speak for itself when the strain is known. For exhibiting the first season, the soft-wattled strains, bred in confinement, are naturally the most successful ; and such birds must be hatched early in the year, to give them time for making up before showing. There is, of course, great risk in this, and many such early-hatched young birds are lost; many good hens are also pumped out and rendered prematurely barren by such early breeding; but both are risks and losses that must be encountered if the object is to be attained. It will be particularly desirable to provide purposely young, vigorous, healthy hens, which have been flown when young, for such early breeding. Carriers always flown will feed their young very well; but the majority fail after a week or so, and a staff of strong feeders is therefore very important. For this purpose nothing will surpass coarse-beaked Dragoons or long-faced Antwerps; but any hardy pigeon with a large beak will answer the purpose, DRAGOONS. 85 Small beaks, of course, will not answer so well, especially when the young ones begin to get rather large. Carriers require particular care and watchfulness as regards cold in the eye, and canker in the ear, or in the mouth. They are also, as already observed, peculiarly subject to “spouts,” and also to have the eye-wattle torn by fighting, being of a rather quarrelsome disposition. For all these matters see the chapter on diseases and ailments at the end of this work. CHAPTER VII DRAGOONS. Tue Dragoon has long been called Dragon in certain London circles; but it is spelt ‘by Moore as above, and, as we have already pointed out, the etymological connection with Horse- man and Carrier is very clear. The word Dragon is clearly a vulgarism ; and it is a matter for congratulation that with the spread of pigeon literature it has nearly disappeared amongst the more respectable ranks of pigeon-fanciers, the most success- ful exhibitors of late adhering to the original pronunciation of Dragoon. The pigeon is said by Moore to have been, “ without dispute,” bred originally by crossing Horsemen with Tumblers ; the Horseman being itself, in his opinion, also a Carrier cross, and simply a bird with hardly good enough properties to show as a Carrier proper. Having nothing definite about it, the Horseman has naturally disappeared ; but the Dragoon has been developed by careful breeding into a bird of singular beauty, which has of late years become as popular as any, and often realises large prices. We have heard people say there is “nothing to breed for” in it, but those who attempt the task 86 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. find this is a delusion. Besides its value in this respect, the Dragoon has the merit of a very high degree of zsthetic beauty, and is one of the best breeders and feeders known, so that the refuse birds may be made very useful. It is a good Homing Bird; and until the recent importations from Belgium, was the principal pigeon employed for carrying messages in this country. Some years ago there was considerable difference as to the correct ideal of a Dragoon. Breeders in London and its neighbourhood showed a propensity to obtain as much beak- wattle as possible ; while in the Midland counties a long and thin head, with little wattle, and a different type in some other important respects, generally prevailed, each party claiming to have the “original” type. These views have, however, gradually approximated, and the difference is not now very great; but as some still maintain the contrary, it may be well to place the truth of our statement beyond dispute, in order that beginners may not be misled by mere verbal disputes, such as are too common among pigeon fanciers. That very exaggerated Carrier-like wattles were once shown in and about London we have never known disputed, and is established by Eaton, who relates how he has often seen indubi- table Carriers shown as Dragoons—sometimes with success, and sometimes not. The gradual change from this false standard will need no further proof than the representation on the opposite page of a beautiful blue Dragoon which won many cups and other prizes a short time ago, and which, up to this day, we have seldom seen surpassed, We give it as the now accepted type of a London Dragoon. This bird had, in fact, only one definite fault, viz., a little “ jewing,” or wattle, on the under mandible, which we have erased. From this identical pigeon, then, we will describe the present moderated and now accepted type as follows. The length of face to centre of the eye, as nearly as possible, in a proper sized bird, 1$ inches (the proper size being AE EE Pir Filil 7) cM I'y/ aes Se My a (\ \ \\ teens Nips Hee BLUE DRAGOON cock. POINTS OF DRAGOONS. 89 rather smaller than a Carrier), and a very large or small bird being a shade more or less; but such variations themselves spoil this pigeon, which, in- clean outlines, medium size, and exquisite symmetry, very much resembles a game cock amongst fowls. The beak-wattle should be of a fair moderate size, as shown in the engraving, neither much less nor much more; and its ideal of shape is quite different from that of a Carrier. While the Carrier wattle is generally convex and arched away from the eye, the Dragoon should have what is known from time immemorial as a “ peg” wattle: that is, rising at once behind to its full height, and then coming down straight to a point. In the young bird it is almost smooth, and of course small, and it should be divided by a sort of line down the middle; but gradually the surface becomes rougher, though the regular buil.l must be preserved to the last. The eye-watitle is about the size of a sixpence, and should not be more; it is circular when young, but becomes “ pinched” behind with age; and as this marks the bird off from the Carrier, it is reckoned a good point. In blue Dragoons the eye-wattle becomes dark with age, especially round the inner edge; and without this sign of dark blood and a dark red eye, the colour of the feather is rarely good, or the “rump” blue. In hens, the size of both beak-wattle and eye are proportionately less. The neck is much shorter than a Carrier’s, and widens at once gradually to the shoulders ; the gullet should be clean, and not prominent as in the Owl. The flights and tail are of more moderate length than in the Carrier, and the wings often shorter in proportion to the tail; but length of feather depends much on the time the birds are hatched. The bird does not stand quite so tall on its legs as a Carrier, and is, in fact, more compactly made alto- gether. It is accordingly worthless, unless finally set off by clean and hard plumage. It should also be remarked that while the sides of the head are in a Carrier desired parallel and as close as possible, 90 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. the skull of a Dragoon is wedge-shaped—broad behind and tapering towards the front. The beak should be nearly or quite black in blues, blue-chequers, silvers, and grizzles ; reds, BirminaHam Dragoon Hen, 1870. yellows, and whites have pale beaks. Blues and blue-chequers are also the only varieties which show dark colour in the eye- lash, except some dark grizzles. : Such is the present accepted type of the Dragoon, as now THE BIRMINGHAM STANDARD. 91 acknowledged by nearly all breeders; but as this is verbally denied still by a few Birmingham fanciers, it next becomes necessary to prove very briefly how the “ Birmingham school,” as it is called, has itself steadily approached it of late, till there is now no important difference. In the year 1870, then, a Birmingham Dragoon fancier described the bird as having a “long, flat, narrow head, straight thin bill, and prominent eye;” and Mr. Ludlow, a well-known Birmingham authority, further described the Birmingham type as follows :—“ Head long and straight ; skull narrow, well developed at the back ; eye-lash white and circular; neck long, slender, and graceful ; legs long, clean, and angular; bearing of a timid, tremulous kind;” and he further describes the wings as “sharp- pointed.” Mr. Ludlow accompanied his description with a drawing, of which we give an accurate tracing on the opposite page, which was stated to represent a hen of matwre age, and in which we unquestionably see a vast difference from even the moderated London type of the cock shown on page 87. The beak is longer and thinner, there is less wattle by far, the legs are much longer, and the whole bird is much more slim ; the crown of the head is also flat. The differences are so sharp and clear as to be beyond dispute. Going on, however, a few years from this description and figure, Mr. Ludlow, in 1874, tempered down the description of the skull to “rather narrow ;” and while he still calls the beak “long,” gives it as 18 inches, the same length as the then London standard. He also termed it “strong,” but accompanied this description with Fig. 22. the drawing reproduced in Fig. 22, which, as compared with the bird on page 87, shows a beak decidedly thin. In Fulton’s “Book of Pigeons,” however, in 1875, Mr. Ludlow claims for the Birmingham type of Dragoon “a nice, 92 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. thick, evenly-shaped beak;” and a month or two later* he gave as his ideal the portrait on the opposite page of a mature hen. On comparing this recent Birmingham hen with the hen drawn in 1870, we see how the beak has become shortened and thickened, the skull less flat, the wings and tail shorter, the body plumper, and the neck widened more rapidly to the shoulders. In brief, and without wasting further space in details, a simple comparison of the three drawings will show that Mr. Ludlow’s last hen would be a very good match for the London cock, and is infinitely nearer to it in type than to his own earlier drawing. If we consider that no judge in his senses, whichever he admired, would discard a bird for a little more or less beak-wattle alone, there is in fact no real difference left at all. We have desired to show these facts plainly, because certain parties still keep up a strife which is now mainly of mere words. Of what avail is it, for instance, for London fanciers to call the beak short, and the other school to insist that it is “long,” when both lay down the same precise length of 18 inches, as both do? ‘London has yielded something, and Birmingham more ; and we have now as good a standard as we can have, if the desire be—as it is professed—to have a distinctly typical pigeon. For if the present moderated London style be objected to as too near the Carrier, and the old Birmingham type argued for as the “original” Dragoon, it can only be replied that the evidence of fact is the other way. Old Moore is conclusive evidence, as far as the “original” type goes, that - it was avowedly made by a cross, and that it was also usual by crossing to give it a “ tolerable degree of stoutness.” And, on the other hand, if the one London point of more size in wattle be a Carrier point, every other point in the old Birmingham model— * All these statements and comparisons will be found fully worked out by the author of this work, in the Live Stock Journal of May 7, 14, and 21, 1875. mii | i wn BIRMINGHAM DRAGOON HEN (MODERN TYPE). BREEDING OF DRAGOONS. 95 the long face, the flat, narrow, parallel skull, the long and thin neck, the length of feather and limb—are Carrier properties. The true fancier at least will never consent to abandon the type now adopted, after long debate, by mutual consent. The moderate-sized wattle, of good shape, is wonderfully difficult to breed good. It tends to break out in excrescences, or to get too coarse or too small, and this is the charm of producing it; but the old Birmingham style of head and wattle can be bred by the dozen, and is so far a lower class of pigeon—in fact, hardly a fancy pigeon at all, which the true Dragoon is. We give, then, the two shaded drawings as fairly representing the modern Dragoon ; the cock showing about as much wattle as a good breeder likes to see, while the hen shows about as little as he prefers on a bird of even the weaker sex. The dif- ference is not greater than the latitude taken by different judges of every pigeon; both agree now in seeking a thick and dark beak, and most certainly neither would throw out a good bird for a little difference in limb or feather. The sole point really left in dispute is as to the eye-lash of blues and chequers, which the Birmingham fanciers still profess to desire white and circular, while the Londoners seek a dark hue and pinched form. Ii need not be pointed out that here again the Londoners are furthest from the Carrier; and it is sufficient to add that this point will settle itself if the bird be correctly judged for soundness of colour ; for, as before remarked, we have hardly ever, if ever, seen a good sound blue, dark on the rump, which had not the dark eye-lash. Blue Dragoons are, as a rule, bred together, choosing good colour, and especially avoiding light-rumped birds. This fault of light rump is common to the brighter blues, and is best counter- acted by matching to blue-chequers, or even to dark grizzles : indeed, some good breeders prefer to pair up their birds, as a rule, blue to a chequer or dark grizzle. They say that by this method of breeding they get plenty of blues and more good 96 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. rumps than in any other way ; and we think it likely, provided any matches between bright blues and light grizzles are avoided. The grizzle is itself a peculiar mixture of blue and white in a kind of pepper-and-salt pattern, and is by no means easy to pro- duce uniform all over, free from white on the rump, owing to the mixture of white in the blood. The result of many inquiries is that most good grizzles are got by matching average to darker tint, with an occasional cross of the blue-chequer ; but that, after all, grizzles of the desired quality all over are much a matter of chance. The bars of all blues and its sub-varieties should be clean, black, and sharp, and the eyes as deep a red as possible. Silvers are divided into what is called brown barred and black-barred, but the black is only a very dark brown after all, The breast should be free from red or copper, and the silver as clear in colour as possible. very fancier prefers the dark or so-called “black” bar ; and to obtain it the only way is to cross every second or third year with blues in a special way. The bright light-rumped blues will not answer. A dark-rumped, good blue cock should be paired to a silver hen; and the best blues from this cross paired again to silvers. If the blue cock be young while the silver hen is old, cocks will generally pre- dominate in the produce. Whites are, of course, usually bred together ; when crossed, the lightest blues and silvers are of course required, crossing the produce back to whites. In breeding yellow and red there is now less difficulty than formerly, there being little doubt that both colours, which are foreign to the original strain of the Carrier, have been obtained by complicated crosses with Scandaroons and other pigeons.. The great point is to select birds always which have the rump of a pure self-colour, free from dun or ash-colour. With such materials, the yellow may either be refreshed, when necessary (for all yellows soon become pale when in-bred), by foreign . BARBS. 97 yellows or a cross from the red. Reds can only be kept up by red, from another strain also pure and deep in colour all over, and always avoiding any reds from the yellow cross ; unless a jet black bird can be procured of suitable properties, which will often improve the red considerably. But any sign of sootiness, or ash-colour, or bars should discard a bird at once. The eyes of these varieties are orange. As to head-points, it is necessary every now and then to keep down size and keep up symmetry of wattle by using a bird rather under-wattled. Symmetry of body will give little trouble. Above all, study condition. A Dragoon is nothing unless hard and clean in feather, as if “cut out” of solid material. Nothing but plenty of exercise can give this ; while it also tends to darken the eye, keep the wattle hard and compact, and in blues darken the beak and eye-lash. Dragoons will train and perform well for any distance up to a hundred or a hundred and twenty miles. It is probable that if bred so severely by results as the Belgian birds, they might be found not inferior for longer distances. They give no trouble, and need scarcely any attention in rearing. CHAPTER VIIL BARBS. Tue Barb makes a convenient transition between the wattled pigeons and the Short-faces, as they are called; and it is in- teresting to observe in this variety how some of the very same elements that go to make up the Carrier have been here de- veloped in a direction exactly opposite to the type of that pigeon. The resemblance between the large eye-wattles of both varieties is so striking that some people have tried H 98 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. the experiment of crossing Barbs with Carriers, in the hope of improving this point; but the model of the two birds is so totally different that no good has ever been traced to such a cross. It has been forgotten that not only is a Carrier i < ! i head narrow, but the type of the eye-wattle is thin ; whilst we want in a Barb to encourage width, as much as possible, in both wattle and skull. This is, no doubt, one of the most ancient varieties of pigeons. Shakespeare alludes in ds You Like It (Act iv., Scene 2) toa “ Barbary” pigeon, which there is not the slightest doubt is the same as that before us; and it seems likely that Moore CHARACTER OF THE BARB. 99 is correct in supposing that the “Mahomet ”—a mere crested variety of Barb—received its name from one of the sort being a pet of the Arabian impostor. Both alike trace the pigeon to Africa, it will be noticed ; and modern importations have been made from the same source apparently. It is at least certain that the birds which have most improved all existing strains of Barbs have been imported, by Messrs. Baily and Son, from the neighbourhood of Marseilles, the traffic between which port and Northern Africa was formerly even greater than it is now. The Barb was formerly considered a “toy” pigeon, but the modern development of its properties has made it so difficult to produce them in a degree even approaching perfection, that it is now ranked amongst the “high-class” varieties. Not only is it as difficult to breed a good Barb as a good Carrier, but the bird, after being shown as a young one, takes just about as long to “make up” sufficiently for winning as an adult bird. There are, in fact, much fewer good Barbs to be found than good Carriers; so that perhaps no variety is so “open” to the efforts of any new recruit to the ranks of pigeon breeders. Being a wattled pigeon, the principal properties of a Barb lie in the head, as in the Carrier; but the type is in every point almost as opposite as can well be to that of the pigeon just named, A good notion of the ideal may be got from an old- fashioned reel of cotton a little unwound—we mean such as were used before the very thick machine-cotton reels came in vogue. The eye-wattles represent the two projecting ends or rims of the reel, the middle part of which roughly represents the skull of the bird. It will be gathered from this that the skull is wanted as wide as possible from side to side, while the two eye-wattles are desired as large as possible, and as thick as possible at the edges, so that they do not fall or drop down over the eyes, which is a very great disfigurement, though not unfrequently seen in worn-out old birds. It is particularly 100 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. desired that the head be entirely free from any wedge-shape, ut be as wide between the front of the eye-wattles as it is behind. When this is the case the skull will look very short and appear sharply cut out in front, the two front corners, as they may be termed, standing out in a peculiar “square” manner not seen in any other pigeon. The skull looks the better if there is a sort of projection or fulness at the back, making the top of it rather flat. We next come to the eye-wattles, which differ essentially from those of the Carrier Fig. 23.—Hzap or Bars. in being desired thick, as well as large and circular ; also in being bright red in colour. They are sub- ject to the same fault as the Carrier’s: viz., a tendency to grow most towards the front and top, while deficient or “pinched” behind. But this fault is less seen in square-headed birds. A good formation, as regards thickness of wattle, adds amazingly to the appearance of a bird. If the greatest thick- ness be towards the edges, and the wattle be comparatively thinner in the middle, round the eye itself, that organ is much less liable to spouts, and the wide and square appearance of the head is much increased ; whereas, if the wattle be thick at the centre and thinner at the edges the effect is very poor. In regard to colour of wattle, the imported birds are often better than home-bred ones. Mr. Fulton* attributes this, we think justly, to the freer use of duns by English breeders. It is *See “Book of Pigeons,” p. 235. PROPERTIES OF THE HEAD. 101 certain that dun is little liked by foreign fanciers, and that blacks, reds, yellows, and whites usually have much redder wattles than duns, which are generally pale. Greater confine- ment also has its influence. The colour of the eye itself should be white, or what pigeon fanciers call “pearl,” but it is very rare to find the iris all white. If the inner portion imme- diately surrounding the pupil is pearl, the eye will pass very well, though the outer edge be orange or gravel, as it more frequently is. An altogether red, gravel, or orange eye is a decided fault, but may be condoned for other striking head properties. The beak should be as thick and short as possible, the desir- ability of thickness applying more particularly to the lower mandible. It should rather incline downwards, or be “ down- faced ;” but overmuch insistance by some judges upon this point has led to an objectionable practice of slightly bending down the beak, while soft, with the finger andthumb. When this is done gently, every day from about three days old, for a week or so, it cannot be detected, we fear ; but most people who act thus overdo it, and produce an unnatural appearance of “down- face” which ought to be disqualified. The beak of a Barb is always desired to be white, or rather flesh-colour. A black beak, which is very common in some otherwise good strains of blacks, not only makes the head look very coarse in itself, but is very generally accompanied by a dark or smoky tinge in the red of the eye-wattles, which makes things still worse. A beak with more than a slight stripe of dark colour on the upper mandible, is therefore a decided fault: but this again may be condoned for a fine and massive head. The beak-wattle should only be a moderate size, as smooth as possible, and so shaped as to jill up, but little more than do so, the even convex curve which the profile of the whole head from crown to the point of the beak should present. Some good birds are heavily jewed underneath the lower mandible ; but 102 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, this is generally regarded as a fault, though opinion varies a great deal on this point—more so than on any other point in a Barb. Our impression is, however, that the majority prefer a bird without very much jewing. The neck of a Barb should be rather shortish, widening rapidly to the shoulders. It adds to the apparent shortness of face, if there be a full gullet ; but some fanciers prefer the gullet clean. The chest or breast should be very broad—more decidedly so than in any other pigeon; and the flights and tail of moderate length, giving the whole bird rather a plump appear- ance. Of course early hatching will often cause comparatively long feather ; and we once had a very fine-headed black cock as long in feather as a Carrier; but we always felt that this unusual length was not “in character” with the bird. We also like to see the flights so “set” inside the outer quills or secondaries, as to show a kind of “corner” in the wing above the line of the body, and some of Mr. Hedley’s strain used to show this point remarkably. The legs ought to be very short, giving quite a waddling gait to the bird when walking ; and the shanks should be clean. Many otherwise good birds are slightly feathered down the outside of the shank, and ‘it is a venial fault, but a fault still. Some people pluck these feathers; but we do not consider this fair, and as it can be easily detected, such treatment should be followed (like every other detected act of deceit) with disqualification. Barbs are shown black, dun, red, yellow, and white. The whites are almost always black-eyed (termed “bull”-eyed by fanciers) but if white like the others, are more valuable. Whites are a distinct strain, and are of great beauty when the head- points are fairly good, as some are; the wattles being in this colour really a bright coral-red. There are but few breeders of whites, so that this colour sadly needs improvement; but if bred up to the same head-properties as blacks, a white Barb would be in our opinion one of the most beautiful pigeons in COLOURS OF BARBS. 103 the whole fancy. We have had whites very fair in skull and wattle ; but they fail as a rule in the beaks being too long and straight, and the peak-wattle too rough. The other colours have been so mixed up by breeders, that every colour (except of course white) has been known to be produced by the same pair of parent birds during one season. In other breeds dun is usually kept to match with black, and only jet black sometimes allowed to mix with red or yellow blood ; hence the reds and yellows are kept pure. But in Barbs the result of the general mixture is that reds are very seldom sound in colour all over, the rump and tail being generally dun or slate-colour, owing to the dun blood in the strain. These circumstances make breeding for colour very difficult in Barbs, especially as regards yellows. In other pigeons it is usual to cross this colour with red; but the impure colour in red Barbs makes this cross comparatively useless here, and as a fact, all the best yellows about which we have inquired have been bred from yellow mated to rich black. The black cross is also excellent with reds, and may in either colour be employed either way. If reds and yellows were crossed exclusively with rich blacks until the dun tails were bred out, and duns confined to crossing with blacks, no doubt the colours of Barbs would speedily be both improved and rendered more certain. Dun is as a rule the best cross with black, owing to the propensity of blacks to develop dark beaks and pinched eye-wattles. The duns, on the contrary, have much more frequently large soft eye-wattles (though they are apt to be pale in colour), and white beaks, by which the faults in the black are corrected. Whites are of course bred together when good enough, but might be vastly improved by crossing with light-coloured duns, and then breeding back the pied produce to white again. Barbs being so uncertain in colour, and as regards yellow peculiarly so, an experiment recorded by Mr. J. Firth in the direction of systematic breeding for it is very instructive and 104 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. interesting. He matched together first a black cock and yellow hen, as just now recommended; the cross producing seven birds, of which four were reds; showing very strongly the uncertainty of colour just remarked upon. These four reds were two cocks and two hens; one hen dying. The surviving red hen was matched to a yellow cock bred from another branch of the same family, and produced amongst others a yellow hen, which we will call No. 1. One of the red cocks was matched to a yellow hen of another strain, and produced amongst others a yellow cock, which shall be called No. 2. The other red cock was matched to a black hen, and produced amongst others a red cock, which shall be called No. 3, and a yellow hen we will term No. 4. With this second stock at command, then, Mr, Firth matched No, 1 (yellow) to No. 3 (red), and No. 2 (yellow) with No. 4 (also yellow) ; and at the time he reported the ex- periment, he had hatched, from these two pairs, eight young ones, every one a perfectly-coloured yellow. Opinion rather varies as to the proper size of a Barb. It is often said that the pigeon ought to be rather small ; but in old birds at least, we have generally noticed that a good-sized bird wins. The nearest to a general rule we can lay down is, that the bird must have the appearance of a big head, whatever the body may be. If the head appear wide, square, and large, the bird is all the better if the body be small ; but the large-look- ing head is essential anyhow, in anything like good competition. Small birds are more likely to win as young ones, their neat appearance, if the skull is well shaped, carrying off their inferior size. It is, in fact, as a rule, necessary to breed a very different kind of stock to win with in young Barb classes. There are eye-wattles that develop quickly, as in Carriers, though they are apt to “spout” at a later date. Birds with such wattles, therefore, and good shaped skulls of only moderate size, often make the most showy young ones: indeed, it is almost impossible to get a Barb that when young looks short in the POINTS IN BREEDING BARBS, 105 face, of more than moderate size. On the other hand, a harder wattle that grows more slowly, and a much longer-looking face that gives room for the eye-wattles to grow, will generally, if there be real massive character about the head, make the most dangerous bird in the end. We have, however, bred very pretty-looking young ones that also made up well, and realised when developed a considerable sum, though not of the most massive school. We have heard a great deal about the uncertain character of Barb breeding in regard to head properties ; but we believe no pigeon breeds more truly if bred in the right way. The grand points are, good square skulls, and good beaks. Mere eye-wattle can be got up easily, but good skull and beak cannot. On the other hand, if well-bred birds of this character be started with and kept to, a high degree of certainty is attainable. Moderate ages may be bred together, but it is bad practice to put young birds together, as the wattle is apt to diminish; therefore, a young bird with wattle undeveloped is best matched to a fully matured one. Young birds, on the contrary, show the best beak, which is another reason for counteracting in point of age. It is in fact found, as a rule, that in Barb breeding there is a kind of antagonism between eye-wattle and beak. Heavy wattle, which is produced by breeding fully matured birds of good type, is usually accompanied by some failing in thickness of beak; which therefore needs to be counteracted by throwing in younger blood, and so on through the whole history of the strain. Black, or at least dark beaks, are a great difficulty in black Barbs. There is evidently a strong tendency for all black pigeons to become black in the beak ; but in a Barb this gives a coarseness of look which is most unpleasant. Unfortunately this objectionable depth of colour seems increased by much flying, which adds yet another difficulty in Barb breeding. For these reasons it is almost impossible to go on long breeding 106 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. only blacks together, the more so as they seem also to have more tendency than the other colours to become pinch-eyed. It is therefore necessary to match them from time to time with duns or reds, which improve beak and wattle both. Two very dark beaks should never be bred from, or the result will be a black beak in nearly every case. By careful matching to duns and reds, we have seen not a few absolutely clear beaks produced even in black Barbs, and the effect is so far superior to that of a dark beak, that this point is well worth careful cultivation. The young are hardy and easily reared, but require feeders after the first week, the form of the beak interposing mecha- nical difficulties. Very rarely we have had a really good bird that fed well, but it is the exception. A strain of common, long-faced Barbs often supplies good feeders ; but on the whole, after trying these, Dragoons, and some others, we preferred medium or short-faced Antwerps, the proportions of their heads appearing to suit those of the Barbs exceedingly well. The quality of the young ones can be seen pretty fairly at a very early age, long before they are fledged. If a bird is very broad and hollow across the head, with an immense gaping mouth, it is likely to turn out well. Ata later stage they often become very plain and common-looking, owing to the growth of the feathers ; but this is only transitory, and the quality reappears, Yellows can be distinguished almost as soon as hatched, by the skin being almost bare and of a peculiar polished appearance. Duns have a somewhat similar look, but not so marked. The age of three or four months is a rather critical time, if it finds them in the cold weather of autumn—they seem tried by the change in plumage. A cod-liver oil capsule every other day at this period seems to keep up flesh and strength, and will prevent many losses; we never lost a young bird after, at Mr. Firth’s suggestion, we tried this treatment. As soon as the eye-wattle is at all fully developed, it needs EXHIBITING BARBS, 107 pretty constant cleaning with a sponge and water; as being thick and fleshy, dirt and secretion is apt to accumulate in the creases, which may cause disease and must cause discomfort. Spouts should be attended to early, as if much developed they are far more troublesome than in Carriers, owing to the greater thickness, and do not always heal so well when operated upon. There are birds which grow a great deal too much wattle, and we have seen some in the show-pen which have had more cut away than has been suffered to remain; we are glad to say that such birds win less frequently now than formerly. Apart ‘from cutting, we have seen some old birds exhibited of the heavy-browed type, which were really pitiable in appearance, the overgrown, relaxed wattle falling down over the eye in a very repulsive manner. Before exhibiting Barbs, the eye-wattles want a thorough washing with a cloth or sponge, and cold water. It is won- derful how this will bring out the colour, and a very little butter rubbed on while the skin is damp will keep it for some time. Often a few small feathers will grow on the edge of the eye-wattles, and these the majority of exhibitors consider it admissible to remove, though it cannot strictly be defended. There is no temptation to go any further, since it would take away from width of skull to doso. The upper mandible will sometimes grow longer than the under one in all birds fed from a hopper ; and in such cases it is fair to cut back to an even point, which is always preserved in pigeons that feed from the floor. The beak should in fact be kept so for mere purposes of health, whether the bird be shown or not; but before showing it should always be examined and trimmed back if necessary to the proper point: to go one fraction beyond betrays itself in a moment, and is fraud. Barbs readily become very tame and familiar: we have had several that even deserved to be called affectionate. This is especially the case if brought up by hand, which is very easily 108 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. done. No high-class pigeon, it may safely be said, gives more constant occupation and interest to the breeder, in counteracting successively the various tendencies which develop as we have tried to explain. Now guarding against a black beak; now against pale wattle ; now throwing in more wattle; now re- storing beak properties generally ; now eradicating heavy jew wattle—his work never comes to an end, while at the same time no pigeon responds more surely to judicious matching. CHAPTER IX. SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS, THE class of pigeons known as Short-faced Tumblers have now so completely lost all propensity to tumble, and been so long bred for other properties, that many people have questioned whether they were ever true Tumblers at all. It is true they are now bred for fancy points without reference to performance of any kind, and are therefore purely fancy birds: but there is no real doubt that they are at least mainly descended from performing Tumblers. As we have already seen, even etymology is worth a great deal as argument in pigeon history, and there is strong proof even in the name; but other evidence is not lacking. Moore first describes Tumblers as performing birds, and afterwards mentions the Almond or Ermine variety : and even Eaton, in 1858, states that he has seen Almonds per- form well. At the present date, though many breeders have never seen one of their birds tumble, a tumbling Short-face is still occasionally met with. The anonymous “treatise” pub- lished in 1765, however, presuming it can be depended upon, puts the fact beyond doubt, and closely defines the date of tran- sition. Concerning the Almond it expressly states that “this MorrLeD TumsBier, AumonD TUMBLER, BALDHEAD. BEARD. SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS. ORIGIN OF ALMOND TUMBLERS. 111 beautiful and very valuable species were originally produced from the common Tumblers being properly matched so as to intermix the feather,” and names black, black grizzles, yellows, whites, duns, and other colours as having contributed to this result, which it plainly implies was then recent, adding that by the same process Almonds are “always attainable.” The gradual development of the present Short-faced bird is further shown by the fact that even as late as 1802, when Windus published his celebrated treatise on the Almond, the wings were not trailed as now, but carried above the tail, the same as figured in the general “ Treatise” of 1765. It by no means follows, however, that a cross may not have been employed to add or increase certain properties ; and there is indeed fair presumptive evidence that such was the case. Mr. J. C. Lyell considers that an Indian pigeon called the Goolee had probably something to do with the process; and the reference to our engraving of Indian pigeons at page 201 will indeed show very strong resemblances in the decided “ stop,” the tip-toe carriage, and the wings trailed below the tail, which last feature is especially remarkable. That the Fantail came from India we know, and that a peculiar kind of performing Tumblers exists there still is also perfectly well known : it is therefore by no means unlikely that the whole tribe of Tumblers may have come to us from India. But besides the Goolee, in a letter published in 1879* Mr. Lyell cites interesting evidence respect- ing other crosses which may have co-operated in producing the Short-faced Tumbler. Mr. Jayne, the celebrated breeder of Croydon, stated to him in conversation that the late Mr. Morey (mentioned by Eaton as never without a stud of pigeons for sixty years) was the only one known to him who could recount how the Short-faced pigeon was produced ; that it was the result of thirty-two crosses ; and that the African Owl had something to do with it. Eaton writes of Mr. Morey as already dead in * Live Stock Journal, Jan. 31, 1879. 112 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. 1858, and this would carry his memory back before the time of Windus, who wrote in 1802; his testimony is therefore of weight by itself, however apparently improbable. But Mr. Lyell adds that during a visit to London in 1878, he found in a fresh copy of Windus, which he picked up, an undated hand- bill apparently (from the type) of about 1800, offering fifteen guineas reward for twelve Tumblers stolen from Mr. Parr of Bethnal Green. These were fully described, and included Almonds, Splashes, a dun hen, black Splash cock, and red cock ; but the remarkable thing is, that while some are described as having a “fine straight beak” as now, others have a “short down beak.” This, coupled with Mr. Morey’s statement, is very strong evidence that the short round head of the African Owl really may have had something to do with the development of the Short-faced Tumbler. We have discussed this subject at some length because of its exceeding interest, both in regard to the bird itself, and to pigeon development generally. We now turn to the practical description of the several varieties. The Almond Tumbler is by common consent placed at the head of the Short-faced varieties, and has done more to raise the tone of the pigeon-fancy than any other breed. While many other pigeons too often got into low company, the Almond seemed from the first to attract the sympathies and enlist the interest of gentlemen, and was brought to perfection by private Societies of the highest class, whose lineal descendants exist in London at the present day. The origin of the peculiar “‘feather” of the Almond, as we have already seen, cannot be positively de- termined ; all that can be averred with certainty is the fact, that somehow or other the ancient breeders—Eastern or Wes- tern, or both—did manage so to blend together the three colours of yellow, white, and black, as that each one of the large quill feathers should show that mixture of the three, to which the COLOUR OF ALMOND TUMBLERS. 113 name of Almond is applied. We believe red blood is also inter- woven in the strain ; or else the red of pigeons must be regarded as only a deeper shade of the colour known as yellow. The colour alone distinguishing the Almond class of these Tumblers from others, we must first describe this. The ground colour has been compared by different writers successively to the outside of the kernel, and inside of the shell, and the out- side of the shell of the ordinary Jordan almond; and no one now knows what precise shade was perferred by the old breeders. We believe, however, that the middle comparison best expresses it, and that the colour desired was a rich, soft, slightly brownish yellow. We are sorry to say that this colour has now all but disappeared, and that not a few breeders seem even to prefer a kind of mahogany brown that almost deserves to be called red. This colour is easier to breed, but we must give our opinion that with it has departed most of the beauty the true Almond feather possessed; and it is significant that with the change has come an almost total disappearance of “feather” fanciers, and an abandonment of feather properties for “head and beak.” No wonder: there is nothing in such feather worth breeding for, and nothing for a mere spectator to admire when it is got. We never saw but two really yellow birds, but it was very different with them ; and we cannot but feel that if more attention were paid to this point it would not only tend to discourage the evils to be mentioned presently, but attract many more breeders to this pigeon, of the same class as bred it in old times, but who will never tolerate the modern practices. However this question of ground-colour be settled, the es- sential point in a perfect standard “‘ Almond” Tumbler is, that the twelve quill feathers of the tail, and the ten large quills or flights in each wing, should each show both ground-colour, black, and white, in each feather—so far, at least, as regards the cocks. It is, however, not universal to find ten flights ; in-breed- ing and small size causing the production of many birds with a I 114 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER, quill less on each side; and hence by common consent nine on each wing are admitted as sufficient. It must be clearly under- stood that no patiern whatever is insisted upon; and this is where novices often cannot understand the matter at all. The point is that each of the “standard” feathers, as they are called, should show, in some shape and position, a patch of the ground-colour, of black, and of white; and these colours as clear and unmixed as possible, a mixture (such as the yellow being grizzled with white, or peppered with black) being considered a, fault. While these standard feathers are the essential point, it is further desired that the “rump” of the bird should be sound in colour, and not light (or “ mealy,” as fanciers term it), and that the body generally be as evenly sprinkled with black ticks as can be attained ; this is called being well “ broken” in feather, and the development of the black marks, the “breaking of the feather.” The neck and breast run to richer colour, very beautifully glossed with green. An Almond cock only acquires perfection in colour proper- ties at the age of two or three years, the exact period varying according to its original colour, owing to a progressive change which all birds go through, the ground deepening, and the quantity of black increasing. At first, therefore, one or more of the standard feathers probably want the black component necessary, while the ground is too light. A year later these feathers may be standard, but there will be little or no “break” on the body. A year later, again, the body will be well broken, but the white may have disappeared from a standard feather or two; and later still the bird will be too dark altogether. Hence a rather lightish bird will remain a standard one a year longer than one rather dark; or again, all standard flights are seldom seen the same year with the best stage of body feathering. It is also to be observed that hens are lighter than cocks, and that in their case, while they are expected to show a standard tail, it is useless to look for more than three or four standard CARRIAGE, HEAD, AND BEAK, 115 flights, the rest being invariably deficient in black. For these reasons it is generally necessary in showing pairs of Almonds to select a hen a year older than the cock, to make a matched pair; and the beginner must guard, in selecting his breeding stock, against rejecting hens for being too light, since he must remember that in breeding effect they match much darker-look- ing cocks. The one thing that should be avoided is a rump mealy or spangled with white. Following Eaton’s Treatise, “shape or carriage” is the next property in an Almond. While the chest is broad, the neck must rapidly taper till it becomes very thin at the gullet ; and this tapering neck is to be thrown far back in an extremely pert and saucy way that is very attractive. Our figures will show this point plainly, and also the peculiar trailing of the wings on or near the ground, which is the second point in good carriage. In the third place, the legs are very fine and short, and the bird walks (when showing itself off) on tip-toe. The flights and tail are short. It may be remarked here that the whole bird is small—the smallest in the pigeon fancy except the Foreign Owl. The next property is termed “head.” This is desired as short and round as possible, but broad and high in proportion. The forehead rises abruptly from the base of the beak, and even overhangs, which is called having a good “stop.” When a head does not thus overhang, or at least rise up abruptly, it is termed “ mousey,” or ‘ pleasant-faced. ” The head should be large in proportion to the body, and it is also desired that the feathers on the front of the cheeks should project well, or curve outwards, which is called being “ muffy.” The fourth property is spoken of as “beak,” and what is meant is that it be short and fine. The length should not exceed five-eighths of an inch from the centre of the eye to the point, and the beak must run straight out, without any ap- proach to a downward inclination. It must also be extremely 116 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. fine or thin. Some people have compared a good beak to an oat-grain stuck into a cherry ; while others prefer a beak which, equally fine at the point, has a slightly thicker base, like that of a goldfinch. There are good examples of both, but a sharp goldfinch beak is the rarer; the essential thing is that the beak run off fine. The wattle on the beak must be exceedingly small and fine, and any excess here, or in thickness of beak will make the best-headed bird look coarse. The colour of the beak is that of a grain of wheat. Black beaks are found, and ~ also give coarseness of appearance. It is, however, to be observed that all Short-faced Tumblers are shown with their beaks trimmed, which is not in this case fraud, but long-understood custom. No bird could appear naturally as Tumblers are seen in pens. It was early found that the excessively small beak of the Tumbler grew more dead horn in proportion than other pigeons, and hence the practice no doubt originated of cutting off the superfluous growth. To some extent this is often actually necessary, many beaks grow- ing crossed or wry if not attended to, which seriously injures the health, since no bird in this condition can preen its feathers properly. At all‘ events, it is now the universal practice to trim the beak with sharp scissors nearly down to the “quick,” which improves them considerably. This causes no more pain than trimming the finger-nails; but some people, anxious to go to the extreme limit, have occasionally cut into the quick or living portion, as can be seen by the appearance of blood at the point. Any bird thus barbarously treated should be instantly disqualified. The fifth and last property is termed the “eye.” This must be large, circular, and prominent, black in the pupil, and the iris white or pearl. The cere or lash round the lids is narrow or small, the feathers growing:as close as possible up to the lids; and the eye should be set well down and a little back, so as to give full effect to the height of the forehead. The comparatively ALMOND SUB-VARIETIES. 117 large white iris gives the eye an arch look, peculiar to Short- faced Tumblers. In breeding Almonds, the composite character of the breed has always to be kept in view. The variety is not fixed as are most others; and those who purchase Almonds expecting them to breed true, will be disappointed. The bird is a ‘mixture obtained by long patience and many crosses (this is true, which- ever of the theories just now mentioned as to its origin may be adopted), and hence, by the great law of reversion explained in the chapter on Pedigree Breeding, the original component elements which went to form it constantly tend to re-appear. We have supposed these to be (1) black ; (2) red or yellow; and (3) white. They crop out in breeding Almonds as follows : Kites represent the Black blood, and are black with more or less of a reddish or yellowish bronze in the feather; or, as others term it, a “fiery glow” through the black. Some may be almost pure black, others more of a rich bronze. Agates may be either red or yellow. Strictly speaking an Agate consists of one of these colours, with more or less of white intermixed. The simple term of Agate is, however, usually confined to birds showing the colour alone over the body, with white in only the flights and tail. If white is freely intermixed over the body, it is usual to call the bird an Agate Splash. Sometimes again, no white at all is visible until very careful examination, and some people call those birds “‘ Whole- feathers,” or yellows or reds respectively; or when they have a few white markings on the wings and back, as in the “Mottled Tumblers” to be presently described, call these “Mottles.” Mr. Fulton has, however,* clearly pointed out the difference, which it is very important to keep in mind, because these birds are little use for breeding those Whole- feathers or Mottles to which they seem to belong. On examina- tion the whiter or Agate blood is found in some of the quill of * “ Book of Pigeons” pp. 148, 149. 118 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. the feathers being white, and more or less of the web near the roots a little grizzled, whereas the true Whole-feather or Mottle is sound in colour to the root. The White blood sometimes also comes out in almost white birds ; but as there is almost always a little colour somewhere, these too must be termed A gates. Splashes resemble Almonds in having all three éolours; but differ in having white intermixed with the body feather- ing, which in Almonds is only black and yellow. They very often also have one or more of the standard feathers with white and black only. True Whole-feathers are also found, and also a kind of dun, some of which approach yellow in colour, and if so are very useful in breeding. Such being the colours that occur in breeding Almonds, it will be readily understood that it is utterly impossible there should be any regular rule for matching. The object must always be to keep up the balance of blood, and as fast as any deficiency in either of the colours appears, to supply it. To this end it is necessary that the breeding of the birds be known, and in default of this the amateur is working in the dark. Thus, we may have two Almonds it is wished to match up. Both look very much alike; yet one may be the produce of a pair which have thrown a predominance of Agates and Splashes, showing that the lighter colours were getting the ascendancy; while the other may be the issue of a recent strong infusion of Kite blood. It is evident the two would require very different matches. Generally, however, it may be observed that as all light colours tend to get the upper hand, more frequent crosses of dark Almonds and Kites are neces- sary than of the lighter sub-varieties ; and also, as a rule, Agates and light Almonds require pairing with Kites or very dark Almonds.