358 FANCY PIGEONS. 



their power of flying long distances in quick time. The cross 

 of the Dragoon with the Smerle, or the Cumulet, is called 

 a Demi-bee, and the cross of the Dragoon-Smerle with the 

 Cumulet, or Dragoon- Cumulet with the Smerle, a Quart-bee. 

 The Quart-bee, bred over again to the Smerle, or the Cumulet, 

 takes after its progenitors; so that among the best pigeons 

 there are various types of skull, some being after the Owl 

 strain, while others are more run out in head and beak. The 

 chief colours found in the Antwerp are blue, blue chequer, 

 mealy, and red chequer, and these colours pied to some 

 extent with white. These colours are the most natural, being 

 what are found among semi-wild pigeons, and in process of 

 time have doubtless asserted themselves as the hardiest and 

 fittest for the severe work they have to perform. 



Coming now to the consideration of the wonderful per- 

 formances of Antwerps in returning distances of 500 miles 

 and more, there is no doubt that training has much to do 

 with it, that great numbers of them are lost in the severe 

 training they get, and that the percentage of birds that 

 would return from a first toss of 400 miles would be but 

 small. Still, they have been known to return to their domi- 

 cile from such a distance without any previous training, 

 and therefore there remains something still unexplained in 

 connection with them, which may never be satisfactorily 

 elucidated. Dogs, cats, and other animals, have been known 

 to return immense distances when taken from home; they 

 have been sent by sea, and have returned by land. But then 

 we hear of such incidents when they happen, and of those 

 who do not so distinguish themselves we never hear. 



Some years ago Mr. James Huie, of Glasgow, the well- 

 known Pouter fancier, a writer whose diction and style of 

 composition have caused many to wish that he had written 

 otherwise than only fugitively on fancy pigeons, contributed 

 the following article on the Antwerp Carrier to the Journal 

 of Horticulture ; 



