PIGEONS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



THEIR ORIGIN. 



THERE are few who view the wonderful pigeons of to-day 

 so varied in color, size, type, feather and general appear- 

 ance, who can brin*.;; themselves to realize that they all 

 descended from one original stock or strain, yet the very best 

 authorities pronounce this to be a fact. Darwin states that 

 the Rock-Dove is the parent-stem of all pigeons. The Rock- 

 Dove is certainly a descendant of the original dove sent out by 

 Xoah, and yet it is hard to realize that out of that one 

 oiiginal strain, there are about one hundred and fifty va- 

 rieties that "breed true." Very naturally this result shows 

 what care and a knowledge of the primary points in a pigeon 

 will do, for if we admit that the mighty Pouter and the dimi- 

 nutive Owl are one and the same, as to original stock, we 

 pay a tribute to the earlier fanciers who made them. One 

 thing certain, there is hardly a land without its pigeons and 

 its pigeon fanciers. The old Romans had them in swarms. 

 We see the Pigeon in bas-relief on many of the old ruins 

 that have been brought to light in recent years. However I 

 see little use in delving into ancient history, for what we 

 want is the pigeon of the present. The bird of no matter 

 what variety, that will .best represent perfection in that 

 variety, and it is a blessing for the fancy, that we do not all 

 feel alike. I have seen Fantail cranks who would not accept 

 a pair of pigeons of any other kind as a gift, and Oriental 

 Frill men who wouldn't have a Faiitail on the place. After 

 all, it is 1he men who incline to one variety, and ''keep ever- 

 lastingly at them" who make the successful breeders. 



