PIGEOXS AXD ALL ABOUT THEM. 35 



CHOICE OF BIRDS. 



HAVING now arranged the loft ready for occupancy, it 

 remains for the embroyo fancier to select his variety 

 of bird. I say ''embryo " because the old fancier who 

 is returning to his first love, knew long ago, in fact long be- 

 fore the selection of a place for his birds, just what kind he 

 was going to take up. 



It is hard for me to say what is best for any other man. It 

 would be quite an assumption for me to say just what is the 

 best breed, for all good birds are good. 



However I can give my views on the matter after a fashion. 

 Unquestionably the most showy birds are the Fantails and 

 Pouters, for the Fan is in constant action, while the Pouter 

 is a gieat bird to show off when noticed. There are some who 

 fancy the Jacobin with his great ruff, the demure little Tur- 

 bit, the tiny Owl. while others claim that the master breeder 

 is he who can produce the Oriental Frill with its quaint mark- 

 ing. Again we find good fanciers who will have no bird but 

 the Tumbler, others the Swallow. Magpie, Archangel, Xun 

 the Priest and Barb. The great li>t of breeders of that 

 wonderful bird, the Homer, shows how many admire him, so 

 that it will be seen that I have quite a task. 



In general terms all long-faced birds are good breeders, yet 

 when we compare the breeding of our high bred '"artificial" 

 birds to that of their humble brother the common pigeon, none 

 cn be called first-class breeders. 



What are known as short-faced birds are not good breeders, 

 from their inability to feed their young. Most breeders of 

 high class short-face specimens keep feeders or ''nurses" a ... 

 they are called, but it is a fctct that these latter are not always 

 successful, for they are so large that in feeding, they twi.-i 

 the .beaks of the little fellows and make them practically 

 worthless. 



