226 DOMESTIC PIGEONS. Chap. VI. 



long beak, he says, with respect to one of intermediate length, 

 " Don't deceive yourseli. Do yon suppose for a moment the 

 short or the long-faced fancier wonld accept such a bird as a 

 gift ? Certainly not ; the short-faced fancier could see no 

 beauty in it ; the long-faced fancier would swear there was 

 no use in it, &c." In these comical passages, written seriously, 

 we see the principle which has ever guided fanciers, and has 

 led to such great modifications in all the domestic races which 

 are valued solely for their beauty or curiosity. 



Fashions in pigeon-breeding endure for long periods ; we 

 cannot change the structure of a bird as quickly as we can the 

 fashion of our dress. In the time of Aldrovandi, no doubt 

 the more the pouter inflated his crop, the more he was valued. 

 Nevertheless, fashions do to a certain extent change ; first one 

 point of structure and then another is attended to ; or different 

 breeds are admired at different times and in different coun- 

 tries. As the author just quoted remarks, " the fancy ebbs 

 and flows ; a thorough fancier now-a-days never stoops to 

 breed to}^-birds ; " yet these very " toys " are now most care- 

 fully bred in Germany. Breeds which at the present time 

 are highly valued in India are considered worthless in England. 

 No doubt, when breeds are neglected, they degenerate ; still 

 we may believe that, as long as they are kept under the same 

 conditions of life, characters once gained will be partially 

 retained for a long time, and may form the starting-point for 

 a future course of selection. 



Let it not be objected to this view of the action of uncon- 

 scious selection that fanciers would not observe or care for 

 extremely slight differences. Those alone who have associated 

 with fanciers can be thoroughly aware of their accurate 

 powers of discrimination acquired by long practice, and of the 

 care and labour which they bestow on their birds. I have 

 known a fancier deliberately study his birds day after day to 

 settle which to match together and which to reject. Observe 

 how difficult the subject appears to one of the most eminent 

 and experienced fanciers. Mr. Eaton, the winner of many 

 prizes, says, " I would here particularly guard you against 

 keeping too great a variety of pigeons, otherwise you will 

 know a little about all the kinds, but nothing about one as it 



