PIGEONS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



WHAT TO MATE. 



IF the fancier has bought his birds from a reliable man, 

 I would advise him to follow the directions of the latter 

 as to mating, for the first season. The breeder knows, 

 or should know the points in his strain and his advice is 

 nearly always correct. 



But in mating the next season, the fancier should use his 

 judgment. He has by this time acquired a knowledge cf 

 each bird among his breeders, and he should have carefully 

 studied his young, so as to know all the best points in each. 



Reduced to a science, mating correctly consists in so select- 

 ing two birds that their progeny will combine the best 

 points of both. For example ; say I have a Fantail cock, the 

 tail of which I do not consider good. It may have plenty of 

 feather, yet it is not even. The feathers are broad and stiff, 

 with no tendency to fray on the edges; but he may have a 

 tendency to open centre or bunches, or splits in the side. 



Now, if I find that his tendency is always to throw young 

 with the same broad, stiff feather, and without the bunches 

 and splits, I select a hen much smaller in size and with the 

 most "regular" tail lean get. I want every feather in its 

 exact place. By a mating of this kind, I am liable to get 

 small compact young with splendid, even tails, for the reg- 

 ularity of tail in the cock's blood is added to the regularity 

 that is apparent ;it a glance in the hen. 



A coarse cock of any breed, or a coarse hen will often be 

 found to throw beautiful young of the requisite ''fine '' ap- 

 pearance. Such birds as I have described are invaluable in 

 a loft. The successful breeder is not the o/.e who has a loft 

 of breeders that are all prize winning show birds, but who 

 has a loft of birds, not all typical specimens but which have 

 the power to transmit the proper points to their offspring. 



