UC-NRLF SB 277 E20 THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPEE. BY LEWIS WRIGHT, AUTHOR OF " THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF POULTRY," " THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER," &C. ILLUSTRATED. CASSELL, PETTEK, GALPIN & Co. LONDON, PARIS $ NEW YORK. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] CONTENTS. PACKS Chapter I. THE PIGEON LOFT: Importance of Proper Space Plan for a Moderate Loft Loft in the Eoof of a House Internal Fittings of Loft Various Breeding Arrangements Perches . . . . . ^ .' . . . . 114 Chapter II. FOOD AND FEEDING : "Why Food differs in Winter and Summer Proper Diet for Pigeons Quantity a Pigeon Eats Hoppers Green Food Fountains Salt Cat . . 14 23 Chapter III. BREEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT : 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 2445 Chapter IV. PEDIGREE BREEDING : "What is a 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- cedureThis Method followed by all Practical Fanciers . 4557 Chapter V. EXHIBITING PIGEONS : Necessity of Exhibition in some Form Columbarian Society Shows Boxes and Baskets "Washing Various Means of improving the Appearance of Pigeons ... 58 65 Chapter VI. CARRIERS 66 86 VII. DRAGOONS . 8597 n/363098 IV CONTENTS. PAGES Chapter VIII. BARBS 97108 IX. SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS : Almonds and their Origin Kites, Agates, and Splashes Mottles Baldheads and Beards . . . 108127 Chapter X. COMMON AND PERFORMING TUMBLERS : Origin of Tumbling Oriental Rollers Training of Flying Tumblers 127140 Chapter XI. POUTERS: Pigmy Pouters .... 140154 XII. FANTAILS 154158 XIII. JACOBINS . 158 163 XIV. FRILLED PIGEONS : Owls Turbits Tur- biteens Satinettes Blondinettes Vizors . . . 164 180 Chapter XV. EXHIBITION ANTWERPS 180 187 XVI. TRUMPETERS ARCHANGELS NUNS MAG- PIES BUNTS 187 195 Chapter XVII. EASTERN TOY PIGEONS : Capuchins Dama- scenes Swifts Scandaroons Indian Pigeons . . . 195 203 Chapter XVIII. MISCELLANEOUS 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 . . 203209 Chapter XIX. HOMING PIGEONS : Modenese Flying Pigeons 209 221 XX. DISEASES OF PIGEONS . ... 222232 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE PLAN OF LOFT. ...'. 4 LOFT ON A HOUSE 6 INTERNAL FITTINGS OF LOFT . . t . . . '. 8 SCOTCH PLAN OF BROAD SHELF FOR NEST-PANS . . . .10 MR. FULTON'S NEST-BOX 11 TRIANGLE PERCH 12 MR. CARIDIA'S IMPROVED PERCHES 13 FEEDING HOPPERS FOR PIGEONS . . . . . . 18, 19 WATER FOUNTAINS 21 NEST-PANS 30 SCRAPER 31 MANNER OF HOLDING A PIGEON 36 BOXES FOR SENDING PIGEONS TO SHOWS . . .' . ' 60, 61 BASKETS FOR ,, ,, 63 BLUE CARRIER 67 HEAD OF CARRIER 72 BLUE DRAGOON COCK 87 BIRMINGHAM DRAGOON HEN, 1870 90 HEAD OF, 1874 91 ,, MODERN TYPE 93 BARBS 98 HEAD OF BARB 100 SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS ALMOND, MOTTLE, BALDHEAD, BEARD . 109 HEAD-MOULDER FOR SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS . . . .119 FLYING TUMBLERS 132 ORIENTAL ROLLERS 135 BLACK-PIED POUTER 143 PIGMY POUTER AND ISABEL . . V . . . .153 SCOTCH FANTAIL 155 BLUE AND WHITE JACOBINS 159 OWLS AND TURBITS . ., 167 TURBITEENS 171 SATINETTE 175 VI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE BLONDINETTES 178 BLUB VIZOR 179 SILVER-DUN SHOW ANTWERP 180 HEAD OF SILVER-DUN ANTWERP . . . . , . .181 DIAGRAMS OF STANDARD ANTWERP HEAD 182 ,, (YOTJNG BIRD) . .183 TYPES OF ANTWERP EYE-WATTLES 183 ANTWERP HEAD, FAULTY TYPE 184 ,, MEDIUM-FACED TYPE 186 TRUMPETER 188 NUNS . 191 LEGHORN EUNT 193 COMMON EUNT 194 DAMASCENE 196 SWIFT 197 SCANDAROONS . . . 198 LAHORE . . .199 INDIAN PIGEONS MOOKEE, SHERAJEE, GOOLEE .... 201 FRILL-BACKS 204 FLORENTINE OR BURMESE , . . . 205 SWALLOWS 206 HOMING PIGEON 210 AREA FOR HOMING PIGEONS . . . . . . . .211 BOLTING WIRES . . . 213 CAT-PROOF ENTRANCE FOR AREA 213 PLAN OF LOFT FOR HOMING PIGEONS 214 MODENESE FLYING PIGEON . ..... 220 PEE FA E. THIS work lias 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 a small space. How far that object has been attained must be left to the judgment of the reader. THE PEAOTICAL PIGEON KEEPEE. 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 PEACTICAL 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 zinc. 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 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. d a cl Fig. 1. PLAN OF LOFT. A A, Lofts or pigeon-houses. B B, Open flight or aviary, c c, Nesting places, with pans. d d, Perches for roosting. e e, Shelves, attached hy iron brackets to doors and front of lofts. Those on doors "bevelled towards the hinged side, and set one inch higher than the others, to allow door to swing. //, Shelf at further end of aviary. g g, Holes with traps, and small landing each side of the door. THE PIGEON LOFT. O 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. At c 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 number 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 Pig. 2. LOFT ON A HOUSE. A, Loft inside roof. c c, Shelves. B B, 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 PIGEOX 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 it is 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. THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. Fig. 3. INTERNAL FITTINGS OF LOFT. a a, Shelves, b b, Partition, c c, Perpendicular boards, sheltering nest pans. el d, Nest-pans. e e, Wire-fronted pens. //, Open wire-fronted pens. INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS. 9 We will suppose the height of the back part, opposite the door, 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 b b is the perpendicular partition dividing the whole into two widths, or ranges, of three feet wide each ; and c c 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 (d d), 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 ff. 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 e e. 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. a a, Shelf. b b, Partitions. c c, L-shaped Screens, d d, Nest-pans. 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 miich 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 011 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 d in 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 t 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 birds, and throw them off Fig. 6. TRIANGLE PERCH. 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 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 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 our 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. PIGEONS 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 diarrhoea. 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 lasts 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 voung 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 foWd 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 1J 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 Jd. 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 2^d. 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 does 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 and 11 Mr. Battye's. Each c 18 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. Fig. 8. Fig. 9. Fig. 10. Fig. 11. PIGEON HOPPERS. 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 " 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 Fig. 13. Fig. 14. 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 j 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 cuttle-fish 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. 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 j 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 j but some of them are useful occasionally for birds feeding 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 veiy 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 : as a 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. S. 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 OP 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, 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, y^ 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 ken. 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 1^ 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. 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. It 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 06 THE PRACTICAL PIGEOX 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. Every 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 Hack 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. THE Barb makes a convenient transition between the wattled pigeons and the Short-faces, as they are called j 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 ii 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 BARBS. 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 As You Like It (Act iv., Scene 2) to a " Barbary " pigeon, Avhich 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, but 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 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. Fig. 23. HEAD OF BARB. PKOPERTIES 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 and thumb. 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 fill 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 j 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 nights 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 ; find 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 'beak-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 o* 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. At a 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 BARB3. 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 ed^e 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 do so. 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 MOTTLED TUMBLED. ALMOND TUMBLER. BALDHEAD. BEARD. SHOBT-FACED TUMBLEKS. ORIGIN OF ALMOND TUMBLERS. Ill 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 Shori^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 nights 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 nights ; 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 pattern whatever is insisted upon ; and this is where novices often cannot understand the matter at all. The point is that each of the " standard J> 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 nights 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 " mufiy." 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. tine 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 Agates. Splashes resemble Almonds in having all three colours; 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. A Splash, again, may often be mated to advantage with a Whole-feather, or even a Kite with abundance TAMPERING WITH THE HEAD. 119 of the bronze or "colour" through the feather. The object always is to supply the missing element. As a rule the Kites with plenty of bronze are much more useful than the nearly black ones. On the whole, the matches of Almond to dark Almond or Kite, and of Splashes to various shades of Agates and Whole-feathers, are most common amongst old breeders. We trust we have made the general principle plain ; and also how much depends upon the pedigree or previous breeding. In relation to other points, and especially points of head and carriage, we can only insist upon the importance of pairing the best together, if it be only a few pairs. It is common for beginners, if they have say ten really fine-headed birds, to try and pair them with ten other moderate birds. This is lost time and labour ; whereas if they paired them up as five first- class pairs, they would probably produce something good. The policy alluded to is bad in all pigeons ; but in Almonds, or any Short-faced Tumblers, it is simply hopeless, so high is the standard demanded. In regard to the heads, however, it is necessary to state that very few birds are now shown whose heads have not been tampered with, an implement of wood like Fig. 24 being pressed into the bottom of the forehead daily, from the time the bird is a few days old, till the skull Pig. 24. HEAD-MOULDER. is "set." If it be done too severely the young one dies, and many do die : if not thus overdone, and the head at starting be decently good, the result is a "grand head and stop." The process is one of very great cruelty, the skull being literally crushed into shape, with immediately fatal results in scores of cases. In many other cases where the bird survives, it suffers for life ; the nostrils being crushed almost together, and the eyes 120 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. squeezed almost out of the head. Many of the unnaturally prominent eyes seen in Short-faced Tumblers are due to this cause ; as also the constant running and irritation which gives so much trouble, and is due either to the compression of all the soft contents of the skull, or the closure of the natural vent through the nostrils. Such abuses cry aloud for a remedy which Mr. Fulton has been the first to publicly demand, and which will never be found whilst judges attach, and teach amateurs to attach, such exaggerated importance to " head and beak." It is a significant fact that since these points were made the cardinal ones, the number and character of Almond breeders has declined, and more than one gentleman left this fancy in disgust as soon as he learnt what he must do in order to win. The remedy is, to give back the old prominence to " feather," and especially to seek again for the difficult yellow ground. There is abundance of work here for any breeder's skill and patience, whilst good heads, once so scarce, are now " made " by the dozen. Good heads can be bred ; and we hesitate to imply that all even of the very best owe their perfection to the process described ; having had birds shown to us with such solemn assurances to the contrary as we feel unable to disregard. But that the " heads " once so rare, and now so general, have all, or even most of them, been genuinely bred, is simply impossible. In fact, what was once the most difficult point is now the very commonest of all, to the detriment of the pigeon in every way. As to the remedy, we are convinced that if the old standard of colour and feather were revived, sought for, and judged by, the result would be a return to that old state of things when the Almond Tumbler was the chosen pet of men of position and family. Whole-coloured Short-faces are met with occasionally, though those called so usually show some Agate blood in the quill and fluff of the feather, as already explained. By choosing birds as free as possible from this, however, real whole-feathered MOTTLED SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS. 121 reds and yellows have been produced, and can be produced again. The colour requires keeping up, by breeding the soundest reds together, and following the same plan with the yellows, adding an occasional cross from the red. It is, however, to be noticed, that fixed whole-feathered colours, or whole-coloured Agates, bred in this way, cannot be used in Almond breeding in the same way as those which occur spontaneously. Their colour being fixed by selection, they tend too strongly to perpetuate themselves, instead of merely con- tributing the required element to the Almond mixture. The same remark applies to Kites. These are often so good in head, and the colour is so much liked by a few fanciers, that they too are bred as a Kite strain ; and in this case the Kite pro- portionately loses its value for Almond breeding. when at all approaching perfection, are very beautiful birds, especially the black Mottle. They should be a sound " whole " colour all over, with the exception of the mottling, which may be either confined to a " rose " of small white feathers on each shoulder, or there may be added a few on the back, which are most admired if ranged in symmetrical lines. The white on the back is termed a "handkerchief" mark. Some fanciers object to it, and in Mr. Tegetmeier's book the black Mottles are shown without it ; but Eaton's work, in the coloured plate of the same variety, shows the handkerchief back clearly, and the majority prefer it. It seems probable, but is not certain, that the mottled marking may have originally occurred with the other sub- varieties in breeding Almond Tumblers, and been afterwards perpetuated by selection. Occasionally Agate Mottles (the difference between Agates and true sound colours has been already explained) are produced even now ; and the best means of breeding red or yellow Mottles is to match such birds to real Whole-feathers, mottled or not, and select the best of the 122 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. progeny. At least, this is the best plan if Short-faced blood be adhered to. But there is often to be found all but perfect marking among the common Tumblers described in the next chapter ; and as these can sometimes be found even a shade better in head than what is termed pleasant-faced, a surer way is to cross with such a strain. Black Mottles have long been a distinct strain, and we agree with Mr. Fulton in considering them the most beautiful of the Short-faced family. Probably no pigeon is so hard to breed, two main difficulties constantly occurring. The first is of course to obtain the marking, without too many white feathers, or what is termed being too gay. Nearly all the birds shown have under- gone a fearful amount of " weeding " on this account, and there is in particular a strong propensity to a white mark on the forehead, which is termed a "blaze," and which is sometimes dyed to hide it. Secondly, the Almond origin shows itself in a strong propensity to Kite colour, the more so as Kites are almost the only crosses available. The Kite tinge also is apt to come out on the head, though it may occur anywhere, especially in the quill feathers. This Kite colour, then, has to be bred out ; and this can only be done by avoiding, as far as possible, breeding together two birds possessing it. Sometimes a really jet-black whole-coloured bird can be obtained, and such will of course make a valuable cross for black Mottle breeding. The marking can only be kept even near the right standard by bearing in mind that the white always tends to increase, and that a bird at all gay should therefore be matched to a Whole-feather or dark Kite, while one with enough mottle should go with one much too dark, or even a whole-coloured black. The blaze on the face is, however, much the hardest thing to overcome. That nearly perfect marking is possible is proved by the success attained in common Tumblers. Baldheads, like the following, and unlike the preceding SHORT-FACED BALDHEADS. 123 varieties, are quite a distinct strain from Almonds, at least for very many years. The bird is so called from its white head ; and the chief point about this property is that the line dividing the white feathers from the coloured ones should run straight and clean across. It is preferred if the line go almost close to the eye, when the bird is termed "high-cut;" if the white extends lower it is called "low-cut," and is not so valuable. The pearl eye, head, and beak, should be as in the Almond, but head and beak are seldom quite so good. Very many of the birds exhibited, we are sorry to say, are more or less plucked about the dividing line to make it appear more even : such plucking should be attentively looked for either in judging or in purchasing stock. Small foul marks are also liable to occur just over the eye, and we remember once seeing one of the very best Balds ever exhibited disqualified for the removal of a mark of this kind. Besides the white head, Baldheads are required to be clean- thighed in fact, the whole belly is white, the dividing line here also being desired to run clean across at the bottom of the breast white in tail, and as far as possible with ten white nights in each wing. Here is perhaps the greatest difficulty. Ten nights are apt to be accompanied by a white inner flight, which is a fault ; also with a head too low-cut ; while on the other hand the lesser quantity of white blood shown in a high- cut bird tends to come out also in foul marks on the thighs ; or if not there, almost always in a short number of white flights. It is therefore common in pigeon reports to read of a Bald being "eight a side," or " eight and nine," ,which is very good in flights in fact, more than is at all usual, and with good head points enough to win almost anywhere. Baldheads are bred blue, silver, black, red, and yellow; blues and silvers being far the most common, and naturally best in quality. We have seen a few blues and one silver nearly equal to Almonds in head, eye, and beak ; but we cannot say as much 124 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. (personally) of any other colour. Blues and silvers are matched together, as, the tail being white, there is not the evil of white rump to be dreaded that follows this match in whole-coloured birds like Dragoons. Blacks are very scarce, and we think might be improved by matching to both Kites and black Mottles. Mr. Fulton strongly recommends the first cross, but says nothing of the second ; whilst we are convinced that the great tendency to blaze on the face in the Mottle shows some past connection between the breeds, which would make this cross the easiest and most effective of any. Reds or yellows might also be paired to black, if they could be got rich enough in colour, but any poor red or yellow spoils black completely in all pigeons. Reds and yellows may be matched as usual : some have crossed yellows with Almonds with good result. Yellows are far inferior in effect to either reds, blacks, or blues. We may remark in conclusion, that it is generally necessary to match a good-headed Bald to one lower cut, in order to avoid foul thighs and too small a number of white flights. Beards have the head all coloured, with the exception of a crescent-shaped white bib under the beak. Some few people say that there should be a coloured line down the middle of this, but we never saw it, and do not believe any one now alive ever did either. The tail also should be white, like the Bald- head, and the nights are desired white also, but owing to the less quantity of white about the head it is particularly difficult to get them all, few birds having more than seven a side. Eight and eight is good enough to win almost anywhere if the other points are good enough. The Beard is usually only white at the ends of the thighs, or the " stockings," the belly being coloured; this difference is also evidently connected with the less quantity of white about the head, and few judges would regard whole white thighs as a fault if they could be got. Head, eye, and beak should resemble those SHORT-FACED BEARDS, ETC. 125 of the other Short-faced Tumblers, except that in blues and blacks the upper mandible is nearly always dark. While, however, good-headed Balds can be found in the flesh, we have scarcely ever seen Beards nearly so good in head as the others of the family. Black Beards could probably be improved greatly in this respect by judicious matching to black, Kite, or black-mottled Tumblers, breeding back to the Beard marking. Matching for breeding colours, which are known as in the Baldhead, will follow the hints above given for that breed. Reds and yellows especially, however, could be vastly improved in head properties by matching to Whole-feathered birds good in those points. We may also remark that some fanciers have matched Balds and Beards together with good results, producing thereby excellent progeny of both varieties. There is, beside the foregoing, rarely met with a Short- faced Blue Tumbler, whole-coloured except black bars. Most of them want improvement as regards head points, but breed so true to colour that they could be easily developed with a little care. Short-faces depend especially, and above all other varieties, upon good feeders for success ; none of them being able to rear their own young, unless, perhaps, some of the coarser-headed Beards and blues. Two or three pairs of feeders for each pair of breeders are therefore needed, and the greatest care is necessary to put down every date of laying and hatching, feeders included. Obviously only fine-beaked birds are suit- able, such as coarse Jacobins, pleasant-faced or common Tumblers, &c., heavy-beaked birds injuring the young. Young Almonds are so delicate that two shifts are often advisable, and a tame and quiet disposition on the part of the feeders is absolutely necessary. 126 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. The prominent eyes are apt to give trouble if sawdust is used in the nest-pan as generally recommended, becoming so easily irritated. Mr. Eaton strongly advises that the sawdust be lined with rush-matting steeped in tobacco water, and shaped by pressing into it the bottom of another pan. This plan can be recommended. The eyes are also peculiarly liable to catch cold and discharge. Very often we believe this is caused by the crushing in of the skull already described ; but when the cause is cold, a gentle bathing with warm water, or, still better, warm tea, will give relief. Short-faces are particularly liable to what is termed " going light," or wasting away. After all, good feeders are the best preventive against this; but small capsules of cod-liver oil with quinine are also very useful. Plucking the tail sometimes assists, but is not so suitable as for other varieties, owing to the feathers often re-growing of foul colours. With every precaution, the proportion of losses and deaths is greater among this class of pigeons than any other; so that Eaton observes how, when he had hatched a little wonder, he used to sit absorbed in " wonder and astonishment " how he should get it reared. To hatch early is useless unless the weather be particularly favourable, and Short-faces should not therefore be even paired, as a rule, till the early part of April. Artificial warmth may occur to some ; but all experience proves that the delicacy of the bird is far increased by such means ; and that it is far better in the long run to allow access to the open air. If, however, " feather " should regain its place, and judges discourage that tampering with the head which leads to so many evils, no doubt a considerable portion of the special delicacy of the Almond would disappear. Almonds too light in colour are sometimes a little oiled before exhibition, and we have seen prizes given to birds dis- gustingly greasy; but such fraud should be easily detected. We have already hinted that much trimming is also too usual. COMMON TUMBLERS. 127 and mere odd feathers cannot be detected ; but whole patches should not fail to " catch the judge's eye." We have known the mottling in Mottles added, or fastened in ! To guard against such practices, every bird chosen for a prize, or any purchase, should be carefully overhauled. CHAPTER X. COMMON AND PERFORMING TUMBLERS. THE class of pigeons described in the heading of this chapter is a very large one, and the division indicated is by no means well-marked. Probably all were originally actually tumbling birds ; but of late years several divisions have been bred for feather or marking, and hence have been derived varieties which are shown in classes for these points, but which very often neither perform nor possess the head properties of the Short-faces. Baldheads, Beards, and Mottles are perhaps most bred in this way for the show-pen. Many are what is called "pleasant-faced," or with a decided, though moderate, approach to the short-faced type; and these birds, as already observed, make admirable feeders for their more delicate relatives described in the last chapter, and most valuable crosses for improving their marking. We have seen many mottled birds which were all but perfect in marking, and also Baldheads and Beards which left little to be desired. In the neighbourhood of Birmingham many fanciers prefer the Mottle without what has been already described as the handkerchief back, and with no other marking than the mottled shoulder : these are often called Rosewings, and perfect specimens of these pleasant-faced Mottles or Rose- wings, whether performers or not, have a considerable local value. As regards the breeding of these " marked " birds, nothing need be added to what is stated in the last chapter. It is 128 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. always necessary to keep down the white, which constantly tends to encroach or predominate : and hence a bird even perfectly marked has generally to be matched with one possessing scarcely enough white ; whilst too " gay " a Mottle may have to be matched to a Whole-feather, and too heavily- marked a Beard, or too low-cut a Baldhead, to birds with a short number of nights or with slightly foul thighs. It may, however, be added that there are strains of Beards which do not tumble, but which are capital long distance flyers, being very fast and sure up to over a hundred miles. These long-faced flying Beards, however, are seldom so good as pleasant-faced, but more approach in head the type of the German Toys. Of actual tumbling pigeons there are several varieties, even in performance, which are well understood and specially culti- vated in some neighbourhoods, particularly those of Newcastle and Birmingham. It is first to be understood that the "tumble" is a complete backward somersault in the air. Tipplers throw only one such at a time, but repeat such detached performances frequently during their flight. Tum- blers often make two, three, or more backward revolutions without stopping. And lastly, there is the true Birmingham Roller, which turns over backwards with inconceivable rapi- dity through a considerable distance, like a spinning ball. These are varieties of what may be termed strictly flying Tumblers, the performance being gone through whilst the birds fly in mid-air, and often at a very great height ; but there are also what are termed house Tumblers, which spring up a few inches from the floor of the loft, turn one complete somersault, and alight on their feet again. Some of these birds will also tumble many times while flying in the loft or aviary. Finally, Mr. Tegetmeier has described, under the name of Lowtan, or Lotan, a very peculiar variety of Tumbler, cultivated in India. These birds do not tumble of their own accord, but are taken by the neck between two fingers, given a slight shake, and ORIGIN OF TUMBLING IN PIGEONS. 129 placed on the ground, when they roll over and over as if in a fit, the natives stating that if not taken up they would continue to do so until they died; though one of Mr. Tegetmeier's cor respondents found that the only bird he allowed to go on unchecked stopped itself at last from exhaustion. A sub- variety of these birds is said to tumble, or rather roll, when tapped on the head with the point of the finger. These facts open up a very interesting question as to the origin of the tumbling propensity. Mr. Tegetmeier observes that the various eccentric movements included in it " obviously depend on an extra irritability of the nervous system," and suggests a comparison that appears just between them and the involuntary tremulous motion in the neck of a Fantail. Some have maintained, on the other hand, that tumbling is voluntary and the result of training, and a source of pleasure to the birds. There is some reason for this view of the case in the fact that a well-trained flight of birds will often go through their performances in evident concert, and so close together that it is almost impossible to conceive they would not come into collision unless they had control over their movements-. It is also noticed that when a bird has been away some miles from home, on its return to its mate the pair will often go through a regular performance, as if in joy at the re-union. So much also depends upon judicious treatment and training, that it is natural owners and breeders should attribute the performances of their birds to this cause. In our opinion, the only tenable hypothesis is that' advanced by Mr. Henry Kesteven, M.R.C.S.,* the evidence- for which, may be shortly stated and is of unusual weight. This view attributes tumbling to some form of epilepsy. On closely watch- ing Tumblers, it is seen that the act of tumbling consists in a violent spasm of the muscles of the back, which is bent into the form of an arc, while the wings at the same time strike together * See Live Stock Journal, May 31st and August 30th, 1878. J 130 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. across the back. It is evidently a convulsive muscular spasm of some kind, and this is the predominating feature of epilepsy, which we also know may be excited by many causes. Now it is well known that good Birmingham " rollers," if in descending they strike or come in contact with anything, such as a chimney, are very often converted into what are called " mad " Tumblers, whose tumbling is perfectly uncontrollable. The analogy between these and the poor Indian birds which roll over and over when shaken by the neck or tapped on the head can easily be seen. It has also been observed that " house " Tumblers will often show a perceptible dread of the performance, sitting for hours on some point and not daring to leave it, and trying to hide away from the owner,\whom they know as making them attempt the task. It is also known that an epileptic condition is most strongly hereditary, and it is easy to understand how it may have arisen in confinement. The mere catching of pigeons is likely to produce such a condition in individuals, and all birds in partial confinement aie apt to develop a nervous irritability not natural to them. In this way it is easy enough to understand how tumbling may have been first acquired, and then developed and transmitted. The probability of this hypothesis appears more strong when some other circumstances are considered, though some of them have even been urged as objections to it. It has, for instance, been asked why tumbling is confined to one branch of the pigeon family. The reply is that it is not so, strictly speaking. Mr. Kesteven found a pure Antwerp cock which tumbled, and some other stray individuals have been reported; and the Oriental Hollers, to be presently mentioned, show us another and distinct family remarkable for tumbling. It is also said that there appears no exciting cause for the convulsive attacks which it is supposed constitute tumbling ; but it is obvious that either rapid ascent in the air, or the quickened circulation caused by flying, would be abundantly capable of supplying the necessary TUMBLING NOT PAINFUL. 131 stimulus. Still more conclusive, however, is the fact, so well known to all Birmingham trainers, that if Rollers are allowed unlimited liberty their performance deteriorates, and may even altogether cease ; which is precisely what might be expected if, as we have supposed, the epileptic tendency has been developed by semi-confinement or other exciting causes. Unchecked liberty in such a case, it might be supposed, would tend to restore the nervous system to a normal state, and it does so. We can also understand how many varieties of " Tumblers " have lost, for want of cultivation, all propensity to tumble. Mr. Kesteven, however, ascertained one more fact, which may almost be deemed final, and must certainly be so if sup- ported by other observations. He submitted the brain of a young Baldhead Tumbler to microscopic examination, and the result was the discovery that the coats of the blood-vessels were thickened, indicating irregular and unnatural blood-pressure. These appearances are about the only constant sign of epilepsy in the human brain. We regard it, therefore, as beyond any reasonable doubt that tumbling is a symptom of some form of epileptic disease ; but it by no means follows that all tumbling is entirely in- voluntary or a cause of suffering to the birds. The same nervous sensibilities which give most pleasure are capable, in different degree, of causing severe suffering ; and it is also well known that actions which are ordinarily of the character of disease, by frequent repetition become habits, and afford a measure of enjoyment, besides coming to a certain extent under control. Even the line between voluntary and involun- tary is not definite ; for taking a case strikingly akin to the present, it is notorious that hysterical fits are in hundreds of cases entered upon in a more or less voluntary manner, though when unchecked they pass beyond the control of the patient and occasion suffering. It is therefore conceivable that even convulsive action of an epileptic nature may assume a form not 132 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. only partially controllable, but capable of giving pleasure ; and observation tends to confirm this view of the case. If the poor ground Tumbler never tumbles voluntarily, and the house Tumbler shows signs of fear and dread, it is 110 less true that the real flying Tumbler shows every sign of eagerness and joy at starting on those aerial flights which it also must know by ROSEWING OR MOTTLE. SADDLE. MUFF-LEGGED FLYING TUMBLERS. experience give stimulus to the spasmodic action. The delight of the one is as obvious as the dread of the other ; and while the man of real humanity should hesitate to cultivate a form of disease which in the house Tumbler evidently causes suffering and fear, he need not hesitate to maintain those other forms which, according to all the evidence accessible, afford sensations of the most pleasurable character. The varieties of form and colour in flying Tumblers are endless, and they are so crossed as seldom to breed true. Mottles and Rosewings are occasionally bred by themselves ; BREEDING FLYING TUMBLERS. 133 but performance is most studied, as in Homing pigeons. There are also solid or self-coloured birds, and mottled birds in which the colours are intermingled all over the body. There are Whitesides, in \\diich all is coloured except the sides of the wings ; Saddles, in which the nights are white as well, also the thighs and lower breast in fact, the same as a Magpie exactly ; Grizzles, and all kinds of odd colours and markings. All these (and more) are found both clean and feather-legged. Our illustration shows a muff-legged Mottle, and a Saddle or Magpie-marked bird. The birds being generally paired to preserve a given style of performance, it is needless and impossible to give directions for mating, beyond the general principle that if any selection at all be desired in colour and marking some suita- bility in matching should be studied ; such as putting a good red to a good black, and heavily-pied markings to each other, and not to mixed Mottles or Grizzles. Good performers of the ordinary type are generally wide at the shoulders and chest, and very narrow at the rump ; also somewhat short in the back, which often exhibits signs of hollowness, as might be expected. The eyes are pearly white, and the fore- head rather high, though without the decided "stop" which has been developed in the Short-faces. In addition to the Flying Tumblers familiar to English fanciers, Mr. Ludlow has described, under the name of " Oriental Rollers," a quite distinct and very remarkable variety, cultivated in Greece, Turkey, and Asia Minor, of which several specimens have on one or two occasions been imported. They are found of all colours, including a kind of almond feather ', and the whole-coloured blacks are remarkable for two points, which distinguish them from ordinary black pigeons. The first is an extraordinary iridescent lustre, which extends throughout the body, somewhat like the bronze in an 134 THE PRACTICAL PIGEOX KEEPER. Archangel ; and the second that the beaks are white, or with only a touch of black on the very tip. The general pecu- liarities of the birds Mr. Ludlow describes as follows : " On reference to the accompanying representation it will be seen that they are in appearance also somewhat novel, and dissimilar to our English breed. The beak is not, as in moat Tumblers, of a dove or ' spindle ' character, but straight, and moderately thick and strong. Nor does the head possess the high crown or projecting forehead so common amongst our native Tumblers ; but it is rather long, yet nicely in keeping with the peculiar elongated hollow back and narrow form of the bird ; the neck is rather short, the legs also short, and the eye of a 'pearl' colour. I may say that great length and hollowness from neck to tip of tail is a most desirable feature, and such is (apart from a trial) one of the best signs of quality. The entire length, as I have said, should be long; still the back itself is actually short. The birds possess an elasticity of form which is quite uncommon, and whilst trotting about in search of food, &c., or after taking a refreshing draught, they will raise their tails, and thus hollow their backs to a strange de- gree. Another remarkable feature in them is that the little pointed oil-gland, immediately above the tail (common to poultry and most kinds of pigeons), is not to be found in any pure birds of this breed, which is quite destitute of this common characteristic. " The tail also is peculiar and quite uncommon. It is long, and composed of from fourteen to twenty-two feathers, sixteen being about the average number in these birds; these are arranged equally on either side, one above another, and the two top ones, diverging a little outwards, show a slight division in the tail, but there is not the slightest affinity or resemblance to a ' fan ' tail, as some might suppose by the excessive number of feathers, but it is a distinct peculiarity of this breed (twelve being the normal number of tail-quills in most pigeons). The TSAIXIXG FLYING TUMBLERS. 137 greater the number of quills in * Oriental Rollers ' the more the specimens are valued. A further singular feature noticeable in the tails of these birds is that occasionally two feathers may be found growing from one quill, separating at its pithy junction as a twin feather, each rather narrower than ordinarily, but of the usual length, and not outgrown, or causing a disordered formation of the tail." We learn from Mr. Ludlow that a pair or two of these birds are usually kept and flown with a flock of other pigeons. When let out they fly apart for awhile until their companions have attained a good height, when they assume and keep a position directly over them, and begin a most extraordinary series of evolutions, mounting as high as possible, and " rolling " down to the flock beneath, thence re-mounting to repeat the performance. Very much depends upon the judicious training of Flying Tumblers, and especially as regards Rollers. Many of these latter birds have been purchased, and being turned out at liberty have by degrees entirely lost their performing powers, and caused much unjust suspicion. The probable reason for this result we have already seen ; and it may be well, therefore, to give a few hints as to the training and treatment necessary to rear and keep a flight in good working condition. Many young birds, when they first begin to manifest the propensity, cannot tumble completely over, but fall backwards in a very awkward manner from want of confidence. In this case, if the tail be shortened or the centre feathers plucked, it will cause less resistance, and the young bird will probably be able to get over without difficulty. With practice the habit will be confirmed ; and as the tail gradually grows it will not interfere with the tumbling. Many good birds have had to be helped in this way. The great point in all flying and training is to see that the 138 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. birds are always at work when they are out of doors. To secure this object it is usual to let them out before feeding, morning and evening. The area, or starting-place, should be as high as possible, and the birds thrown well up, or hurried up by clap- ping or waving a flag at starting, and let in again to be fed as soon as they come down. If flown with food in their crops they are much more likely to settle on roofs or chimneys ; and when a Flying Tumbler has once acquired this habit it is spoilt as a performer. Besides this, in turning over the food is liable to be thrown up from the crop into the throat, and thus choke the bird, several cases of which accident have become known to us. If the birds do not fly freely, or want to come down at once, they should be kept in for several days, and only liberated on some clear bright day, when the fine weather and long confine- ment will dispose them to take more exercise. Whenever they settle they must be frightened or driven off, but allowed to feed as soon as ever they come in ; and by steadily following this system the birds soon get into the habit of spending all the time they are in the open air upon the wing. When in regular training, it is best to fly them twice a day, in the morning and evening, giving them a light feed after the morning fly, and as much as they like after their fly at night. It is also necessary to see that only good flyers are let out together, as lazy birds, or " pitchers," may corrupt the whole flock. It is also neces- sary, when they are up in the air, to avoid anything that may tempt them to descend, unless they are really wanted in. Only in the evening, after they have come in and had their feed, may they be occasionally allowed a little liberty on the roof, when they will pick up " scour " and otherwise make good use of their time. Flights are very often lost during fog, snow, rain, or high winds, if these come on suddenly while they are up for, of course, the birds would not be liberated in such weather. It is well always to have a reserve of a few birds at home, which in HINTS ON TRAINING. 139 case of emergency may be sent up after the others and decoy them home ; for this purpose they are all the better if poor flyers, or not, strictly speaking, flyers at all, the only object being for them to reach the others, and then, if possible, return at once. It is, in fact, very dangerous to have birds fly too well. By careful and regular practice they may easily be got to fly for several hours together ; and if while they are up a strong wind rises or a slight mist comes up, leaving the sky clear overhead, they will often be lost altogether. For these reasons, when they have once been well trained it is well to get them into as heavy flesh as possible, and to divide the flight so as to fly them en alternate days or fewer, when they will not be disposed to fly so long. It is early enough to turn out young Tumblers at three or four months old, and the plan usually followed is to toss two or three at a time, along with the same number of old ones kept back for that purpose, into the flight as they are returning after a fly. The toss-up of the fresh birds will generally set off the whole lot again for a few minutes, which will give the young ones practice, and gradually accustom them to flying and tumbling. Some young birds develop the tumbling propensity very fast, and others much later; and it not unfrequently happens that the later- developed ones make the best performers in the end. But there must always be a strict drafting, and every bird found to be an idler, after fair and due trial, must be got rid of if the quality of the loft is to be preserved. In starting a new flight of Tumblers, we should advise first getting a few common Dragoons or Antwerps accustomed to fly round the locality. Then let young Tumblers be either pur- chased or bred, and, when strong enough, let them out for half an hour each day, hungry, so that they will not go far, but only learn to observe the neighbourhood. They can easily be tempted in with a little food. Then shut them up a day or two, after which let them fly with the Dragoons or Antwerps 140 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. for a week or fortnight, always getting them in directly they return. The Dragoons will teach them their way about, and after that should be shut up or parted with, as longer com- panionship might spoil the Tumblers. The subsequent training will proceed as before. One or two Cumulets, if they can be got, will be useful in getting the Tumblers to fly high. To recapitulate briefly, the principles of training are simply these : 1. They are only let out at first every three or four days, in order that the confinement may dispose them to fly actively directly they are liberated. As that habit is confirmed they are let out oftener, till they may have a morning and evening fly, if convenient, every day. 2. They are let out fasting, in order that they may return instantly the disposition to exertion is over ; and fed immediately to keep up this habit. The reasons for feeding lightly after the morning fly are obvious, as also for never liberating them when there are other birds about to tempt them to pitch at least, in the early stages. Beyond this system, nothing is necessary beyond weeding out all unsatisfactory or lazy birds. It may, however, be remarked that all this training is directed towards " flying " simply ; the tumbling is developed as the young bird grows, and if the stock be good will come of itself by association and habit. In exhibiting Tumblers the chief points are, of course, purity and richness of colour and regularity of markings. CHAPTER XL POUTERS. THERE is little doubt as to the origin of this pigeon, though it has given rise to some dispute. Moore, who describes the English Pouter in 1735 precisely as we do, distinctly states that it was bred by crossing the "Dutch Cropper" to a Horse- ORIGIN OF THE POUTER. 141 man, a long-bodied and long-feathered bird. The Cropper seems to have been the origin of a tribe of several varieties, and to have been remarkable only for a large inflated crop and feathered legs ; differing from our Pouter in having the thighs wide apart, and having no upright carriage. Mr. Ure cannot see* " how such a cross could produce a bird like the English Pouter," and says that Moore "does not speak from his own personal experience;" but this is a purely gratuitous assump- tion, and an objection to his account which nothing in the text justifies. It is at least more likely that the cross with a long- feathered bird should have improved length of body and feather, besides making the bird close-thighed, as Moore actually affirms it did, than that the bird was produced solely by breeding up the Dutch Cropper alone, recognised as a distinct variety by Moore himself ; and we do know positively that long since his time the cross with a Runt has been employed repeatedly in Pouter breeding to give size, the consequent thickness of girth having to be bred out again. Moore writes contemporaneously, as of a matter ,he was perfectly familiar with, that "this pigeon, which was first bred in England, and is therefore called the English Pouter, is originally a mixed breed between a Horseman and a Cropper, and by matching their young ones over and over to the Cropper, experience, teaches us it will add a wonderful beauty to this bird, and raise in it the five following properties." Nothing can be plainer, and we may add that nothing is so inherently probable. Of the allied varieties mentioned, the Cropper is already alluded to : it seems to have had no property but a very large crop, produced (no one knows how) by developing the power all pigeons have to some extent of inflating the crop with air. We have seen signs of the same power in fowls and once in a blackbird. The Parisian Pouter, Moore says, resembled a Pouter, * "Book of Pigeons," p. 97. 142 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. but was long-cropped and not large, short-bodied, short-legged, and thick in girth : its peculiarity lying in the plumage, which resembled fine Irish stitch, chequered with various colours in every feather. The Uploper resembled an English Pouter in all but size, which was small, the legs particularly so, and derived its name from the cock's habit of leaping towards the hen. Lastly, he refers to the Pouting Horseman, a cross kept up to improve Pouters from time to time by making them close-thighed. All these varieties seem to have disappeared, except so far as the smaller of them may have helped in the manufacture of Pigmy Pouters. The London weavers generally have the credit of bringing the Pouter to perfection ; but although we do not wish to disturb the old traditions which give them this honour, we think it right to put on record the fact that many inquiries have traced the Pouter fancy very far back indeed to the city of Norwich, though it has long since departed thence in favour of Canaries. That Pouters and first-class ones too were bred in Norwich very long ago we think there is no doubt, and from thence the fancy spread to Great Yarmouth ; but whether or not Norwich ante-dated the Spitalfields silk-weavers, no information we have been able to obtain can determine. It is, however, certain that at a later date, with the ruin of their handicraft, the London weavers had to part with their birds, which have since been kept up mainly by Scotch fanciers. The Pouter is, in fact, the favourite pigeon in Scotland, where it is bred in immense numbers. For years the variety was quite neglected in London, only Mr. Yolckman cultivating it for a short time ; but of late it has been taken up by Mr. Gresham, Captain Hill, and others, and rarely fails to be well represented at the shows of the National Peristeronic Society. The properties of the Pouter as such, and apart from colour are described by Moore as exactly the same now known ; but modern fanciers differ from him in the order of THE BLACK-PIED POUTEE. PROPERTIES OF THE POUTER. 145 relative importance. This will be seen by the following table of the properties, as placed by different authorities. Moore. 1. Length of body. 2. Length of legs. 3. Neatness of crop. 4. Slender-ness of girth. 5. Beauty of feather. Tegetmeier. 1. Length of limb. 2. Length of feather. 3. Slenderness of body. 4. Size and car. of crop. 5. Colour. Fulton and Ure. 1 . Length of limb. 2. Slenderness of girth. 3. Crop. 4. Length of feather. 5. Colour and marking. It will be seen that all modern writers agree in valuing length of limb most and colour least in the last following Moore but differ in all the rest. We prefer the order of the two Scotch authorities of those above ; but, as far as we can follow the judging of late years, our impression is that crop now comes next to liinb, and we shall therefore enumerate the properties as : 1. Limb ; 2. Crop ; 3. Slenderness of body ; 4. Length of feather ; 5. Colour and marking. The " limb," or leg, requires to be long, properly placed and shaped, and properly feathered. The length is measured by pressing the back of a pen-knife or similar article close against the top of the thigh, stretching out the whole as far as possible without pain, and measuring from the blade to the very end of the toe-nail. A difference in " pull " will add an eighth of an inch, so that fanciers pull pretty tight ; and a long nail will also make a difference, on which account we have often thought it would be fairer to measure to the root of the toe-nail. In practice, however, birds are only measured in judging when it is a very fine point, but are taken by the eye as they stand in the pen with others : the only way in which it is possible to judge fairly the many points of a Pouter. A bird seven inches in length is first-rate so far as length goes, and very rarely is an extra eighth or quarter attained. Much of the apparent length depends on the shank being long in proportion to the thigh, and the foot being well set on; and a good Pouter fancier will attach more importance K 146 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. to this than to an eighth of an inch or more in mere actual length. As to shape and position, the thigh must have a fair amount of muscle, and the whole limbs be placed pretty close together. They must not be too bent at the hock, which is being cow-hocked, nor, on the other hand, be quite straight, which 'looks loose and weak. The hocks should be turned slightly in and the toes slightly out. In regard to feather, the thighs and shanks should be well covered with soft, rather small feathers, longer feathers spreading well out at the toes. The faults here are being scant or almost bare; or, on the other hand, furnished with flaggy feathers and more or less vulture-hocked. The " crop " is to be as spherical as possible, and carried exactly even, and not on one side, as is sometimes the case ; on these conditions size of crop is a merit. It should be capable of being fully inflated, and not so over large as to then bulge behind the bird. It should also carry up well, so as on the one hand to bury the beak on top, and on the other to flow easily into the lines of the body below. A crop carried low often shows a nick or angle at its junction with the breast, and this fault is heavy odds in a pen against a bird when its opponent is good in this point. Slenderness of girth, or of body round the shoulders, is one of the most attractive properties. A first-class Pouter appears surprisingly small in the hand on this account. Of course the age of the bird has something to do with it, all Pouters getting somewhat stouter with each year ; and it also depends (so far, at least, as appearance of it goes) very much upon the wings being clipped up tight at the shoulders : a point in which age also tells to disadvantage, especially in hens which have bred. To show this point well a Pouter must be slightly hollow in the back, the want of which is called being " hog-backed." It is this property which was IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTION. 147 chiefly lost in crossing with the Runt to gain size ; and it needs more attention yet than it sometimes receives. " Length of feather," or of body, as Moore called it, is measured (when measured at all) by stretching a tape over the head, from the point of the beak to the end of the tail. In old days Pouters were usually judged in this way, and many have been bred over twenty inches; but this property has long been relegated into a position subordinate to length of limb. It will be obvious, on reflection, that if the tail be too long in proportion to the limbs, it must, by encountering the floor, tip the bird forward, preventing that statuesque and upright carriage which is so much admired. Formerly Poutei s were judged standing on a block, which is still used to dis- play their carriage. In that position the tail can hang down below the level of the feet ; but as soon as the birds came to be judged on the flat floor of a large pen this advantage was taken away, and tail became necessarily subordinate to due proportion a most happy thing for any pigeon. It will be found that it requires about a seven-inch limb to carry even nineteen inches in feather ; and this property has therefore seldom to be measured for. Sometimes the flights are short in proportion to the tail, which is a blemish, and spoils the symmetry of the bird. " Colour and marking " come last, but are much needed to set off a good bird, though the best cannot make a Pouter. There are five recognised standard colours, viz. : " Pieds " in black, blue, red, and yellow; and Whites. The last are pure all over, and need no remark ; and as they are less trouble to breed, do not in open competition stand so high as the 'Pied varieties. These are of the colour they are pied with black, blue, red, or yellow over the whole body generally, with the exception of a crescentic white mark on the crop, which is desired as even in shape as possible. The round patch of colour which forms the top of this is called the " bib," and if it 148 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. is absent, so that the white crescent reaches the throat, or if there be white in it or above it under the throat at all, the bird has the fault of being " swallow- throated." If, again, the white crescent, whose horns should stop at the sides of the neck, reaches round behind, it is "ring-necked," another great blemish. Finally, some birds especially black Pieds, have a white mark on the head or forehead, which is called a " snip " or snip-mark, and is also a blemish. The colour ends on the breast, a little below the crop, where the under parts (including the limbs) become white to the under part of the rump. The nights are also white, the rest of the wing coloured, except a few white feathers on the shoulders. These should be arranged like the rose on a Mottled Tumbler ; but this is very rare, and it is sufficient if they be few and detached. If too many the bird is too " gay," and if the white runs to the edge of the wing it is " bishopped," or "lawn- sleeved." It is very rare indeed to see both wings perfect in marking. In blue and black Pieds the tail is coloured ; but in reds and yellows it is white, though usually a little foul here and there. Why this should be so is rather puzzling, as the colours have been often crossed and the other markings are the same. The feathers on the crop of blues and blacks show most brilliant metallic reflections. Every colour has its special difficulties in breeding, perhaps the black Pied most of all, for which reason most fanciers value it most. The pinion-marking in this colour is often very good ; but snips are very apt to occur ; and above all is the extra- ordinary propensity to " foul thighs," or black or grey feathers where all should be pure white. They are also apt to be thick or runtish in shape. For these reasons blacks are matched to blues ; but the cross is bad, the result being mostly chequers, or bad-coloured birds. A much better plan is to throw in the red, which is generally a clean-thighed colour. By matching a red cock to a black hen there are always produced some BREEDING FOR COLOUR. 149 birds of a peculiar reddish-grey mixture, which English breeders call " Strawberry colour," and Scotchmen "Sandies." Both colours the red particularly must be good ; and if a sandy from such a cross be matched again to a black at all decent, the result, according to both Mr. Ure and Mr. Fulton, is generally satisfactory. Dark chequers bred from blacks and blues are useful if no better offers; but every one who has tried it considers red the best cross. Blues are bred together. They breed also lighter blues of a silver tint, and lightish blues with brown or kite bars instead of the desired black bars. Such kite-barred birds are termed "silver-mealies" by Scotch breeders, and it is singular that they often surpass the blues in length of limb and feather. They accordingly make most valuable crosses for blues, but any other cross is apt to injure the colouring; and there are, in particular, many blues about of a most disagreeable smoky tinge, owing to a cross with the black. These dark birds are generally runtish, and should be discouraged. The great difficulty in breeding blues is a tendency to get too "gay." The birds tend to be short of bib, or bishopped, or ring-necked, &c. Such birds must always be matched to such as are short of white, or the result will be white splashes, downright swallow-throat, white shoulders, and faults of that sort. Reds and yellows are most scarce good ones are rare indeed. The difficulty with them is the colour, which is washed out or mealy. We must refer to Mr. Fulton's large work for detailed notes on these colours, only observing that he condemns the breeding of red and yellow together as spoiling both, and advises breeding matured reds together as the best means of improving the colour. When such matching produces a good yellow, as it sometimes will, that is the best cross for a yellow ; or a red may also be crossed with a yellow ; but in that case this great Scotch authority warns us against ever using even a red of the progeny, however good in colour, to 150 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. cross back with reds. To doing so lie attributes the loss of colour in red Pouters, and insists on all birds with yellow blood being kept to cross with yellows alone. In whites the chief difficulty is size. Colour gives no difficulty ; and this colour is naturally more slim in body than any. But this very fact, with the other fact that crosses from other colours are not needed so far as colour goes, tends to reduce the size. On this account it is sometimes necessary to cross with light mealies or silvers, or with the splashes thus produced. After such a cross foul marks are liable to occur for some time, especially if the crossed blood be matched on both sides. There is, however, a " danger signal " in regard to this point. White Pouters have light beaks and " bull " eyes, like nearly all white pigeons. As long as these points are right there is little risk of foul marks ; but a dark beak or orange eye betrays the lingering of active foreign blood, and must only be matched to birds of orthodox head-points. All sorts of splashes and mis-marked birds are used in crossing by Scotch fanciers, but not so much as formerly, standard birds being more plentiful than they were. In using them, it is chiefly necessary to see that they are crossed back to their allied colours, and it is therefore particularly important to know their pedigree. Leg-feathering needs constant attention matching birds too heavily feathered with those too thinly furnished. For detailed directions on this point, illustrated by diagrams of different degrees in feather, we must refer to Mr. Fulton's great work. It is necessary, however, to state that it rarely answers to go on breeding the correct amount of feather together, for the reason that heavy feather seems very much a sign of coarse vigour (which needs to be kept up in this pigeon particularly), and must therefore be bred from occasionally. It is, however, much easier to breed colour and feather than to keep up the quality of the Pouter as such. It will be readily DIFFICULTIES IN POUTER BREEDING. 151 understood that such length as is desired can only be main- tained by great strength, and the difficulty is much increased by the desire for slimness of girth, a strong large bird tending to be coarse. Again, the extreme length of limb naturally tends to make the legs weak as the young bird grows ; and probably some of the finest limbs ever bred have never been reared so as to be able to stand. The only means of over- coming these difficulties we must now briefly point out. The first is constant infusion of new blood, which in Pouters cannot be dispensed with, unless the breeder has a very wide stock ; and, for reasons just stated, this should occasionally be given in the shape of coarse, heavily-feathered birds, but always looking for a good length of shank. The vulture-hocks need shortening during the breeding season. A second means is to rear each promising bird singly under a pair of proved hearty feeders, such as large Dragoons or Antwerps. And lastly, great benefit will be found from giving each bird every morning and evening a bolus, made of oatmeal and bone-dust, mixed up with a few drops of Parrish's compound syrup of phosphate of iron, or what is equally good, simple syrup of hypophosphite of lime. As the birds grow they should have plenty of exercise in a good aviary. Pouters need careful training to show to advantage. They should always be accustomed to be taken up and talked to, so as to lose all fear; but as soon as they are nearly through moult, those to be exhibited are regularly drilled. Each bird is placed in a high pen with a block in the centre of its floor, and so arranged that a cock and hen may be suddenly allowed to see each other. Every time the owner visits them, which must be often, he calls to them with the peculiar Pouter call,* and perhaps also * This is variously described, and, indeed, different individuals do not use precisely the same. Some pronounce it hua, hua ; others hee-he, kee-he ; and others hoo-ie, hoo-ie. We have heard it surmised that a celebrated Scotch fancier derives his name from traditional connection with Pouter breeding ; and a well-known writer certainly spells the call as huie, huie. 152 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. snaps his fingers or waves his hand before the pen, at the same time allowing the two birds to see each other. They naturally " play up," and gradually learn to associate the presence of man and the call with agreeable company, so that they will play on being challenged ; but no other bird should be in sight except whilst the owner is training, or they will be restless and sulk. Particular care must be taken never to point the finger at them and allow them to peck at it. Some inex- perienced amateurs do so, and the result is that the bird gets the habit and will never afterwards show at all. Many a fine bird has lost all chance in this way. Pouters are rather subject to over-gorging, both with food and water. The old remedy for this is to place the bird in a stocking that fits it rather tightly and keeps the crop well up, and to hang the stocking on a nail in the wall, kneading the crop now and then with the fingers till emptied. The bird must be kept in a pen for some days afterwards, and fed care- fully and sparingly. If a bird has become gorged several times the crop is apt to become chronically loose and pendulous, for which the only remedy is to cut a piece entirely out, and sew carefully up again, the two skins separately. It is very difficult in this operation to so preserve the symmetry of the crop that the bird can be exhibited again ; but a fine bird may thus be saved for breeding. Pouters require the largest size of breeding-places and nest- pans. If shelves are employed, they should be fourteen inches wide and eighteen inches apart ; and the nest-pans, the largest size made. This pigeon, however, on the average, really does breed best upon the floor. Pigmy Pouters appear to have been first produced by Sir John Sebright, so well known also for his extraordinary success in producing dwarf poultry. Eaton writes of him : "After his death I was at the sale of his bantams and pigeons. I was PIGMY POUTERS. 153 surprised, on looking at his Pouters, how it was possible he could have reduced the English Pouters down to such little Lilliputians, or multum in parvo Pouter, possessing in an elegant degree all the properties of the English Pouter." The breed was, however, subsequently lost ; and to Mr. Tegetmeier chiefly belongs the credit of reviving it, which we believe he did by working upon the small varieties of pouting pigeons pro- ISABLL. PIGMY POUTEB. duced by the German fanciers. These are numerous, and nearly all possess fair crops, but nearly all are destitute of limb pro- perties : the legs being generally short, and either bare or heavily feathered and hocked, the latter type being known as Isabels. The latter have often pretty " Toy " markings, such as the white bars shown in the illustration, but are generally low in carnage. By matching the two extremes of leg-feather together a correct standard in that respect was easily at command ; but length of limb and upright carnage presented great difficulty, and much more did the orthodox English pied marking, which was unknown to the German birds. By 154 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. crossing with Pieds, however, these difficulties have been over- come, and we have seen birds exhibited of late which offered a really close approximation to the English blue-pied Pouter in miniature. Birds shown as Pigmy Pouters must, of course, be judged by Pouter points. The German varieties are judged by attrac- tiveness in appearance and perfection of colour and markings. All of these varieties are hardy and good breeders. The chief difficulty is to keep them small, as they constantly tend to throw back, like Bantams, to their larger ancestry. For this reason there is not the difficulty in finding fresh blood which is encountered in regular Pouter breeding ; on the contrary, in- breeding is of direct benefit in reducing size, and slimness may be sought to any extent. The birds are simply rare because little fancied ; were they bred largely, they would be much easier to produce good in points than the larger birds. Those who wish to breed them should cross with in-bred, and there- fore small and slim standard birds, in-breeding the produce till the desired result is attained. CHAPTER XII. FANTAILS. THE Fantail seems to come most naturally next to the Pouter, both being of late so much associated with Scotland. There is, however, not the slightest doubt that this pigeon came from India, where it is still well known, and whence many importa- tions have been made of late years; American fanciers particularly having several times imported direct from Calcutta. At one time this pigeon was divided into two distinct classes, each admired by a distinct school of fanciers, who cultivated what were known respectively as English and TYPES OF FANTAILS. 155 Scotch Fantails. The English school argued from the name of Faiitail that a wide-spread tail must be the cardinal property, and aimed to develop that at all costs. The result was the almost utter loss of what are called carriage and motion, and the development of a huge tail carried forward, almost flat, over the back, like a pot-lid ; and to this type all the prizes went, for a time, at English shows. On the other hand, the breeders of the truer type, or Scotch Fantail, undoubtedly at one time too much dis- regarded tail, though this fault has now been remedied. Perhaps the two types have always co- existed to some extent; and the argument which led English breeders astray would never have been listened to had amateurs attended more to the faithful guidance of old Moore. He knows the pigeon as the " Broad-tailed Shaker," and gives as the leading characteristics that it " has a beau- tiful, long, thin neck, which bends like the neck of a swan, leaning towards the back ; it has a frequent tremu- lous motion, or shaking in the neck, which is the reason why they are called Shakers." He adds that they are "called by some" Fantails; but still further adds that even in his time there were two sorts. "The one," he says, "has a neck much longer and more slender than the other, but the SCOTCH FANTAIL. 156 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. longest neck is the most beautiful and the most esteemed." Now as the longest neck must necessarily cause the tail to be carried farthest back, this sentence is incontestable proof that the Scotch or upright tail, not the forward, pot-lid style, was the accepted bird in Moore's day. At present, as we think, the Fantail is about correct ] the deficiency in the tails of some of the Scotch birds of some years ago having been counteracted. The body is very short and plump, the neck comparatively very long, though it and the head must appear fine. The neck is carried so extremely far back and curved ("like that of a swan," as Moore justly compares it), that a point near the junction with the head lies on or nearly on the back, at the root of the tail. This will be explained by the engraving ; but the " motion," or what some vulgarly call the " nerve," can only be described. It consists of a vibration, or heaving up and down and forward and back, the bird being unable to keep still, and occasionally walking backwards from the same uncontrollable impulse. The legs are rather short, and when excited the bird walks on tip-toe. A good bird carries its head at times below the level of its breast, and when with this is combined a good "strut," this is called "good carriage." The tail, we consider, should be as nearly as possible flat, but not carried at all forward of a perpendicular plane any leaning forward not only destroys the other properties, but all aesthetic beauty, and we hold that this is an important consideration. When spread, the tail should be as nearly as possible a perfect circle, with the exception of two or three inches wide at the bottom, through which pass the ends of the flight-feathers, which must be carried low. Such a tail will need at least twenty-four feathers (the ordinary number in pigeons is twelve), and twenty-six or twenty-eight are better. Forty or more feathers are recorded, but always make too heavy a tail, which is scarcely ever carried straight. A large bird can carry more feathers than a small one, but a good VARIETIES OF FANTAILS. 157 Fantail should be small. The oil-gland most pigeons possess is often absent in the Fantail (not always), and there are also liable to occur feathers which split into two stems from one root, which is a fault. "We believe, however, this feature often arises from plucking, the feathers of a Fantail so treated often coming amiss : on which account even a damaged tail is best, as a rule, left alone. The size of the tail occasions various difficulties occasionally. If the bird carries its head too far back, it may go through the tail ; the only remedy for which is to carefully tie the four middle ones together so as to prevent this : after a while the habit may probably be cured. Other birds do not carry their wings low enough, so that the points pass through the tail instead of under it : this may sometimes be cured by loading each longest flight with a bit of lead, but the trouble is ill- spent, and it is best to give up showing such a bird, and simply shorten the flights sufficiently to save the bird the annoyance, and make it comfortable for breeding. The English type of bird larger, with immense tails carried over the back, little motion, and the head much higher -is now little encouraged except in coloured birds. Blacks, blues, reds, and yellows are sometimes seen of it ; but most of the whites have Scotch blood in them, and are being rapidly bred to Scotch properties. The Scotch type is shown in whites and what are called Saddle-backs, which are all white except the sides of the wings, which are coloured like a Turbit. By crossing with other pigeons some peculiar markings have been produced, but these have never maintained their position. There is also a " laced " Fantail known, in which all the feathers have the web disunited, like Silky fowls. In breeding Fantails, too small hens should be avoided, the progeny being generally too delicate to rear. Smallness should therefore be sought on the cock's side, with a moderate-sized hen. If any point be deficient, it should of course be supplied : 158 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. thus, a regular 0?d-fashioned Scotch bird with little tail may be mated with advantage to a smallish specimen of the old English type. Peaks sometimes occur, many of the original Indian birds having been peak-crested ; but the feature is not at all liked, and is nearly bred out. If not too small, Fantails are fairly hardy, and give little trouble in rearing. Birds remarkable for " motion " are, however, sometimes incapable of breeding for the first two or three years, though this extreme nervous- ness usually wears off in time. Fantails are difficult birds to show, especially in the small wire pens usually allotted them. Some tails are much firmer than others, and will stand more knocking about ; but few come back from a show without woeful signs of their imprisonment. They should be sent in baskets or boxes carefully planned and fitted, and if baskets, very smoothly lined ; using in fact every expedient that thought can suggest or contrivance execute to avoid damage to the tails. CHAPTER XIII. JACOBINS. MOORE describes this pigeon as the smallest of all, and says the smaller the better. There is no doubt it was formerly, at least, very much smaller than it is bred now, and that it has degene- rated in some other points as well. This fact has occasioned much controversy as to the true type of the pigeon ; one school (of whom Mr. George Ure in Scotland and Mr. Harrison Weir in England may be cited as exponents) considering that the loss of old properties has arisen from the modern stress upon two new ones, known as "mane" and "rose," and that the only remedy is in a return to the old style in all points ; while the other as stoutly maintains that the necessity does not follow, and that if it did the beauty of a good " mane " is cheaply purchased by merely some increase in size. ANCIENT AND MODERN STANDARDS. 159 The extreme of neither argument will bear examination. On the one hand, it is impossible to admit that we are to be tied down to every poinb precisely as known to Moore ; and it is simply an egregious mistake to argue, as some have done, that the points as described by old authors were always the : 'i^-i^^ - BLUE AND WHITE JACOBINS-. result of careful study, and deliberate, fixed determination. This position has been assumed by more than one advocate of the old-fashioned Jacobin; but it is, on the contrary, as certain as anything can be that many of the varieties were far from settled in Moore's time, and that a general consensus of opinion had hardly begun to exist. The Carrier has been not only lengthened in face, but far improved in other properties, since Moore's time ; and who would go back to his standard, or even that of "Mayor," for the Almond Tumbler] As regards the 160 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. Jacobin itself, this pigeon was so far unsettled when Moore wrote that bare and feathered legs were acknowledged indis- criminately, and even the chain was evidently far from perfect. Equally wrong are those we allude to in ascribing the new points to the last few years, or the " last ten years," as one writer has done. Both Moore, and "Mayor" thirty years later, describe as the "Ruff" a pigeon resembling the Jacobin, but larger, in which " the feathers of the hood and chain are much longer," though not so compact and close as the other ; and both state that the Jacobin was matched to this bird " in order to improve their chain," and was thus bred larger and with some tendency to more looseness of feather. Though both disapproved of this, it is therefore established by their own evidence that this chain of breeding had already set in ; and Mr. Brent, so far back as 1850, describes the " rose." The modern properties are, therefore, no craze of "one or two late judges," as has been stated, but can, at least, boast a respectable antiquity, and are the legitimate effects of attempt- ing to develop an acknowledged property. On the other hand, we hold that there has been far too much stress, comparatively, laid in recent years upon mane and chain, with the accompanying " rose," to the neglect of other properties; and this, according to our opinions expressed already concerning other breeds, is in our view a grave error. The neglected properties have chiefly been hood (defect in which we have often seen condoned for good chain), short face, and size, or rather, want of it. "We might, perhaps, add slimness of girth, which, as in a Pouter, we consider an important property in a Jacobin. And while we like a good mane, we hold that it should not be allowed to outweigh the want of the other properties, and should only be developed so far as con- sistent with them. With this brief exposition of the disputed question, we proceed to the pigeon itself. The head of a Jacobin should be that of a short-faced, or POINTS OF THE JACOBIN. 161 at least moderately short-faced Baldhead, though somewhat low- cut may be permitted. The beak should also point slightly down- ward. Shortness of face has been much neglected, a coarseness of head and length of beak having crept in and altered the bird for the worse ; but there can be no doubt that the head ori- ginally grafted on the Jacobin was that of a Baldhead Tumbler, and any one who shall breed up this property without losing the others will assuredly reap reward. The eyes are also pearl ; and from the same parentage is derived the points of white nights and tail. About thighs opinion is divided. Brent says white, as in Baldheads ; while Fulton prefers coloured, for the very reason that such differs from the Baldhead, but allows that the point is secondary either way. As such we prefer to leave it, with the remark that the question is very closely connected with that of flights, about which there is the same difficulty of getting all white as in Baldheads and Beards, many high-cut Jacobins having only seven or less a side. On the contrary, a bird lower cut, with clean thighs, often has white flights ; and for this reason low-cut have usually to be matched with high-cut birds to keep up flight properties. There is very little difficulty in other respects in regard to colour, red and yellow being usually very rich and good in Jacks. Blues were unknown at one time, but were obtained by crossing with BaldTieads, and are now occasionally seen very good ; and blacks have been shown of very excellent quality. The best blacks we know of have been bred from red crosses, which often produce strawberry birds in the first place, these being matched back to blacks again. Whole- coloured whites, blues, and some other colours have also been shown, but ought not to rank so high, having no flight difficulties to contend with. The most important property in a Jacobin is hood, or the portion of re-curved feathers which come over the top of the head. The hood must come as far forward, fit as flat down on the head, and be as even at the edge as possible. A gdod hood L 162 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. will come level with the eyes. The feathers at the root of the hood sometimes prevent its fitting so close as desired ; and these are often extracted or cut off close to the skin by unprincipled persons : for which reason any bird fixed on for a prize or a purchase should be most carefully examined, by drawing the hood feathers back so as to expose the roots, to see nothing has been tampered with. The peculiar turned plumage which forms the hood is con- tinued down the sides of the neck, where it forms the " chain." This must come as low as possible, and be so long and so set as to nearly or quite meet down the front of the breast. It is equally important that it be smooth and even at the edges. Another set of feathers turns backward over the shoulders, leaving an opening or furrow between. Viewed in front, the chain should lie so flat to the sides of the neck that the latter appears thin. In " Mayor's" time it appears some people used to cut out a strip of skin down the breast and sew the edges together, to make the chain come closer , but at the present day birds have so much more chain that such a cruel practice has become not only disused, but forgotten. Next come the disputed points of "mane " and "rose." As chain developed, and the feathers composing it became longer, it was found that instead of the "parting" passing round the shoulders and back, the feathers tended to diverge in all direc- tions from one spot in the centre on each side, leaving the white fluff visible as a more or less elongated spot, instead of a line. This spot or centre of white fluff was called the "rose." Similarly, instead of the feathers pointing apart, up and down, at the back of the neck, they pointed backward from the rose, filling up an even crest along the back of the whole chain, which was called " mane " appropriately enough. Mane thus arose simply by developing chain ; and is by the vast majority considered an additional property. This mane, too, must be smooth and even, not notched or ragged. THE IDEAL JACOBIN YET UNSEEN. 163 In carriage the Jacobin should somewhat resemble a Tumbler, carrying the head well back, so as to show off the peculiar properties. It must not, however, trail the wings, but, on the contrary, be a tight-feathered bird; and it is also desired as slim in girth as can possibly be got. As already hinted, we believe that the disputes about mane have chiefly arisen from the fact that the property seems antago- nistic to diminutive size. This arises from the other fact that good mane chiefly depends on great length and fulness of chain- feather, which naturally occurs more often on coarse, vigorous birds. Our own opinion is that, while an added beauty and legitimate development, it should only be cultivated so far as is possible in subordination to the other acknowledged pro- perties. It will readily be gathered that this can only be done by matching those larger birds which possess good chain and mane with small and slim ones which are good in hood. Much can be done in this way; and if these views shall find general acceptance, and judges refuse to give prizes (as some have done) for mane and chain only, but insist on having, with mane or not, small and elegant Jacobins, we have no doubt that the required pigeon will be produced, and that the outcry of the old-fashioned fanciers against mane will die out. As a rule, Jacobins give little trouble in rearing or feeding, though the smallest specimens are apt to be delicate. Should the short face be more cultivated, difficulty in rearing might increase ; in fact, the bird would become one of the very highest class of pigeons, having other difficult proper- ties engrafted on all those of the high-class Baldhead ! To call such a pigeon and all these properties are fairly in the Jacobin a Toy, as some do, is simply a farce. On the contrary, no pigeon is as yet so far off the acknowledged standard, even close approximation to which has never been produced by man. A Jacobin fairly perfect in hood, mane, and chain, with the head of a Baldhead and the size of a Tumbler, has yet to be seen. 164 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. CHAPTER XIV. FRILLED PIGEONS. UNDER this heading we can conveniently group a collection of pigeons which very evidently have one common ancestry, though they now range themselves into four tolerably distinct groups or varieties. Whether the Owl or the Turbit is the original type cannot now be ascertained with any certainty, the whole being of Eastern origin ; but without discussing this point, we may proceed at once to describe the many different varieties as (1) Owls, (2) Turbits, (3) Turbiteens, and (4) Satinettes, and their sub-varieties. Owls have very greatly increased in popularity of late years. They have long been known in England ; but within a year or two of 1850 very superior birds were imported from Africa of a much smaller size. These were called " Foreign," while the others were called " English " Owls, but as they were largely crossed with the latter to improve head-points and diminish size, there was for a time considerable confusion. At length, however, the fashion of seeking smallness in English Owls ceased, and breeders endeavoured rather to produce fine bold birds, since which the English Owl has greatly im- proved. English Owls are coloured, but are chiefly blues and silvers; and there is also a colour peculiar to them called " powdered " blue or silver, which consists of a peculiar " frost " or silvery cast over the ground-colour on the head, neck, and shoulders. Some think this was produced accidentally by a cross of blue with silver, others that a cross with the Damascene gave the "powder;" any way, the colour has ever since remained in the strain, and is a favourite one. Foreign Owls are generally white, blues and blacks being very rarely s hown; they are desired as small as can possibly be got. Other than the differences in size and in the usual colours, POINTS OF THE OWL. 165 and the sole occurrence of powdered blues and silvers in the larger English birds, the points are the same in all Owls. The beak of the Owl gives the bird its name, being short and stout, turned down, and with the upper mandible curving down over the lower in as even a curve as possible with the whole profile of the head. When young, the mandibles are more equal in length. The whole head should be as globular as possible in every direction. There is apt to be a protuberance over the eye and also at the back of the skull, but either is so far a fault. The eye, of course, should stand out well, flat cheeks detracting from roundness of head j and the beak- wattle must for the same reason be even, convex, and fairly developed, so as to " fill up " the forehead. A young bird, therefore, does not look quite so well in forehead as an old one, the wattle filling up with age. Beak and head are the most difficult points to procure in Owls. Next comes " gullet," or a development of loose skin under the beak or chin, like a dewlap. This should come as low as possible, and adds to the apparent shortness of the head. Mr. Harrison Weir and one or two other good authorities prefer a bird without gullet, with a clean-cut throat ; but the vast majority both of judges and breeders consider a gullet one of the properties. The fourth and last property is frill ; and here we touch on delicate ground. There is no great difference any way between Owls and Turbits ; and many have implied that there is none but peak and colour : that if Turbits were bred whole- coloured and without peaks they would be Owls. We thoroughly agree with Mr. Harrison Weir that this is wrong, and has arisen from ignoring differences that were recognised by the older fanciers. If the frill, or group of re-curved feathers on the breast, is to extend as far up and down as possible, as in the Turbit, there is so far no difference, as may be seen by comparing the engravings of Owls and Turbits; and Mr. Fultop 166 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. adopts this view. But Mr. Brent, writing many years ago, says of the Owl that " the frill or purll is shorter, more compact, and somewhat rose-shaped." We see even now occasionally an all but circular " rose " instead of a frill in some Owls ; and Brent, in another place, says distinctly that the frill should be thus " rose-shaped." It is plain, in fact, that since Moore's time fanciers considered a circle the general ideal of the Owl ; and that, as they sought for as truly a circular set of curves as possible all over the skull, so also they sought for a circle on the breast, and a round, short, plump body. It is a pity to lose points that assist distinction ; and, therefore, while we admit the present state of confusion, we earnestly hope breeders of this beautiful pigeon will seek to recover the round, short, but amply developed "rose-frill." The frill is occasionally found so ample as to be triple, an extra line on eac^ side nearly extending to the back of the head. The carriage should be up, with the head thrown back, the feather short, the chest broad, the shoulders rounded. The eyes are generally gravel or orange, except Whites, which are bull-eyed. Eastern fanciers have bred Owls with white tails and divers other odd markings ; but in England they are almost always whole-coloured, the blues and silvers having bars as usual. Many blues are light-rumped, and many silvers kite-barred, owing to a too free use of silvers in breeding ; this fault may be counteracted by crossing with dark, sound- rumped blues or blue-chequers. The larger Owls are hardy and generally good feeders ; but sometimes a very well-gulleted bird feeds badly. The small Foreign Owls are very delicate, and need nurses, for which purpose nothing can exceed Common Tumblers. Foreign Owls require to have their lofts well ventilated, yet perfectly free from damp and draught, else they die by dozens : in fact, they are at the best exceedingly delicate birds. Mr. Fulton* states * "Book of Pigeons," p. 306. FOKEIGN AND ENGLISH OWLS. SHELL-CRESTED BLUE-CHEQUER. PEAK-CRESTED BLUE. TUEBITS. POINTS OF THE TURBIT. 169 thai in very good-headed specimens the tongue is often rather too long for the mouth, and causes death by canker from the irritation. This may be prevented by snipping off the horny tip of the tongue. Turbits resemble Owls in many points, and both Mr. Fulton and many others adopt the head of the Owl in toto as the standard for the Turbit, except, perhaps, the curving upper man- dible. To this we cannot agree. The -head, though round in general shape, is longer, and the gape of the mouth far wider ; the beak also, though short, is not so short, nor so down-faced : it is, in fact, both a straighter and heavier beak altogether. The greatest fault in Turbits is a long and spindly beak, and it is found far easier in practice to change this by an Owl cross into an Owl's beak, than to breed the true massive beak of the Turbit with a good "frog-mouth." Otherwise, the same re- marks apply to beak-wattle, which should fill up the curve of the forehead, as in the Owl. The gullet also resembles that variety. The frill in a Turbit should be ample in volume, and extend as far up and down as possible. Comparing the ideal of both head and frill with that of the Owl, it will be seen that in the Turbit the model is very much the shape of the coloured shoulder of the bird, or a kind of egg-shape. The colour of the Turbit is all white; except the shoulders of the wings, which are found black, blue, blue-chequered, silver, red, yellow, and dun. The blues and allied colours are of course barred. The eyes are generally black or very dark hazel, the bull-eye showing that the foundation of the variety was originally a white bird. There is generally more or less colour under the wing, and sometimes very good birds are rather foul-thighed. Occasionally even a flight or two is foul, for which reason it is better if an inner flight or two be white, provided it does not interfere with the colour of the side or shoulder when the wing is closed. 170 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. The last property of the Turbit is peak, or crest. The peak- crest should be as high and pointed as possible, and the feathers meet evenly, so as to form an even ridge or mane behind, as low as it extends, down the back of the neck. The shell-crest is a kind of hood resembling the edge of a shell, and somewhat like the hood of a Jacobin less developed. The shell-crests have, as a rule, the best heads, and are therefore crossed often with the peaks. The result has been that very few of either are now seen at all approaching perfection. It is also rare to see a Turbit really good in frill. The Turbit should be small, but is longer in feather than the Owl. It is fairly hardy, and often feeds well; but the smallest and best often give much trouble in this respect, and therefore require feeders. This point should be ascertained by experience as regards every separate pair of birds put up for breeding. For obvious reasons, it is best to use good-sized hens as far as possible, and trust for smallness chiefly to the cocks. The colours of Turbits are generally very good, especially the reds and yellows. The red, as usual, will improve yellow; but all reds from the cross must be kept away from reds, and confined to crossing with yellows only. Blacks may be crossed with duns as usual, also with reds and yellows occasionally. Blues are sometimes kite-barred, from too much use of silvers, and need care. Foul thighs, bad crests, and spindly beaks are the greatest difficulties, and next to these a want of frill. Black-tailed Turbits have been shown, but have not found favour. Turbiteens are a comparatively recent importation from Asia Minor, for which English fanciers are indebted to Mr. H. Caridia, a Greek gentleman, now of Birmingham. They may be regarded as an Oriental refinement upon the Turbit, and Air. Caridia states that they were produced by crossing with a TURBITEENS. 171 black-headed bird marked like the Nun, and crossing back to white Owls to keep out the black tail. However this may be, the production of varieties like' the Turbiteens and Satinettes must stamp the Smyrna pigeon-fanciers as of the very highest class; the varieties they have produced, with their added beauties, TCRBITEENS, PEAK-CRESTED AND PLAIN-HEADED. being amongst the most fascinating in appearance of all the pigeon triba In general marking the Turbiteen is a Turbit : that is, a white bird with coloured sides or shoulders, the colour (what- ever it is) being of the richest character. All the usual colours are found. Besides the usual markings, however, are the head and face marks. Of these there is as yet no fixed pattern, the Oriental breeders having simply made it their object to place on the head a well-defined coloured patch or patches of any kind. But gradually a perceptible approach to regularity has been attained, and at present the efforts of English fanciers 172 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. have been directed to the production of a large spot on the forehead, and a cheek-mark evenly disposed on each side, as shown in the engraving. Both marks should be as free from scattered feathers or peppering as possible. The head of the Turbiteen resembles that of the Owl rather than of the Turbit in its shortness, roundness, and down-face. The legs are muffled, or covered with short and grouse-like feathers ; the frill to be as full as possible. Birds are bred both plain-headed, as in the Owl, and peak-crested, like the Turbit ; and both head and colour being so good, Turbiteens have been largely employed of late in Turbit-breeding to improve these points. The colour of the Turbiteens being so rich, it may be well to describe the Eastern method of breeding, especially as an Oriental sun is even more difficult to contend with than ours. We therefore transcribe from the " Book of Pigeons"* a para- graph from the account kindly furnished us by Mr. Caridia for that work. " A bird produced from a cross of a black and red, whether it is black, bronzed-black, or red, will do to match either with black or red again. Also a bird bred from a cross of a red and yellow, whether red or yellow, will do admirably with either red or yellow again. But birds bred from parents of one colour should be freely mated, as they ought to be, with birds of dissimilar colour: viz., a bird bred from a pair of blacks should be crossed with a bird bred from a pair of reds, and a bird bred from a pair of reds should be crossed with one bred from a pair of yellows ; thus you have black mated to red, and red mated to yellow. As a rule, never breed from a black and a yellow, but if you want to improve black, mate it with 'a black or red bred from a black and red ; if you want to improve red, mate it with a black or red bred from a black and red ; if you want to improve the yellow, mate * Page 319. THE SATINETTE PIGEONS. 173 it with a red or yellow bred from a red and yellow. Pair also two reds bred from black and red, and two yellows bred from red and yellow, and continue to observe which colour re- quires strengthening, and by following the above plan your success is certain." Turbiteens with large head-marks generally have red or orange eyes, as in coloured Owls, and dark beaks. With small marks the eye is uncertain, being often dark, as inTurbits,from the Owl blood ; the beak also is lighter. They are as a rule good feeders, as well as very hardy, being flown freely in their native land ; but after generations of aviary-rearing it is to be feared the same difficulty will be found as in Turbits and Owls. Eastern fanciers always prefer the larger birds ; and if this preference should be happily maintained in England the dif- ficulty may not be found, as we have already seen that the large English Owl generally feeds well, though the smaller Owl, like the small Turbit, requires more or less assistance. Satinettes and their sub-varieties are the most artificial development of the Owl or Turbit family, and come from Asia Minor, like the Turbiteens. They share with the latter birds the grouse legs so admired by Eastern fanciers; and, like them, are bred more to the Owl type of head than the Turbit. They are both peaked and plain-headed. The frill should be as ample as can be got, and all the general points resemble those of the preceding varieties ; but they have added and striking beauties of colour and marking. These points were for a good while not understood ; and hence, because a pair of birds did not as a rule breed their like, there was said by many to be " nothing in the variety," one well-known authority going so far as to say the whole Satinette tribe were mere " sports" from Turbits. In saying this it must have been forgotten that all the colours in pigeons are more or less interchangeable; black, for instance, being bred 174 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. to duns, reds, and yellows, and Barbs producing almost any colour. But the reason of the variety of produce of any pair of birds of the Satinette family is the fact that, like the Almond, the colour and marking have been produced by the long and careful blending of three colours, until all three are united in one bird, as in the Almond. The dif- ference is that the Oriental breeders, with a higher skill, have in the same way as the Germans united the different colours with a beauty and regularity of pattern which we have already seen the Almond does not possess. But sub-varieties constantly tend to appear, precisely in the same way as the Almond, Splash, Whole-feather, or Kite do in Almond- breeding, and have to be used in the same way. The Satinette, then, is a combination of pinky-brown, black, and white, which is often more or less mixed with blue in addition. Most of the body is white, like the Turbit. The shoulders (coloured in the Turbit) are of the pinky-brown ground, shading into white and marked with black. The black marking is sometimes of an arrow-pointed character, as in our illustration, sometimes of a laced type, as in Sebright Bantams or the Blondinettes shown in the engraving. The flights are white, the tail-coverts generally coloured ; the tail itself black, with a large round white spot at the end of each feather ; or the feathers might also be described as with a ring of black at the end. A bluish tinge in the black is a fault. Brunettes are lighter Satinettes, the ground being a silvery- greyish buff, and the markings grey instead of black. Bluettes have blue shoulders, like a blue Turbit, blue tails with the white spot at the end, and the three colours in the bars, the main breadth of which is white, but edged with the pinky brown of a rich colour, shading into black. Silverettes have silver shoulders, with white bars edged with black only, tail grey, with the usual spots. There are besides black-and-white birds only, from which, with a little patience, birds might be bred SA.TINETTE. BLONDINETTES. 177 laced as accurately and as clear black and white as a silver Sebright Bantam. !N"ow, as in the Almond, sometimes the darker kinds crop up and sometimes the lighter. It is not well as a rule to cross the plain-shouldered barred varieties, such as Bluettes and Silverettes, with the laced or ticked ones; but the darker varieties of each should be matched to the lighter, as in Almonds; thus mating a dark Satinette to a Brunette, or a dark Bluette to either a light one or a Silverette. In every case endeavour to supply the most absent ingredient, as in Almond breeding. If matches of the proper varieties are scarce, Mr. Caridia strongly warns the breeder not to cross with Turbits, which have coloured shoulders with white tails, and so would destroy tail-marking ; but if an out-cross must be used, to employ either a white Owl with dark tail or a pure white Owl, which will not interfere with marking nearly so much. Crossing with similarly-coloured German toys is useless, as it utterly destroys all the head and frill properties. JBlondinettes were produced about the year 1850, Mr. Caridia states by crossing silver and blue Owls with Satinettes. They are, like the Satinettes, both peak-crested and plain-headed. The generic difference between their tribe and that of the Satinettes is in the body-colour ; the heads, necks, breast, thighs,