36 FANCY PIGEONS. 



birds, the first thing he will have to do will be to pair them 

 together. In matching them up, with the object of breeding 

 good young ones, the general rule may be laid down that, 

 whatever faults one of the pair may possess, its mate should 

 not possess the same. A pair of pigeons having between 

 them the properties sufficient to constitute a perfect specimen, 

 or something approaching to it, are likely to amalgamate, in 

 some of their progeny, the good points they possess ; and 

 by this method are the most perfect specimens of fancy 

 pigeons produced. But, besides the appearance of the birds 

 themselves, that of their parents and more remote ancestors 

 should be considered when it may be done, as pigeons, in com- 

 mon with other animals, throw back to their ancestral form as 

 much, and often more, than to that of their own parents. It will 

 therefore be seen that successful pigeon breeding requires con- 

 siderable study, although good pigeons are not unfrequently pro- 

 duced from very ordinary stock ; but such chance birds are not 

 reliable for stock purposes. It is always better that a beginner 

 should procure his stock birds from a breeder who has proved 

 his ability to turn out good birds of any particular variety, 

 than to buy those of whose pedigree he can learn nothing; 

 for there is much virtue in a good strain, and much dis- 

 appointment saved by procuring such. And yet the very best 

 of pigeons will produce plenty of young ones quite unfit 

 to go on breeding from, as all races living in a strictly 

 artificial state must necessarily do ; so a fair amount of 

 quality should be looked for in birds intended to commence 

 breeding from. 



Pigeons are mated together by placing them in contiguous 

 pens, where they can see each other. When in good healthy 

 they will generally show signs of becoming paired in a few 

 days, but it is, of course, necessary to keep them from the 

 sight of other birds, and especially of their last mates, or it 

 will not be easy to match them up. When properly paired, 

 it is always well, when practicable, to place them in a loft 



