369 HOMING PIGEONS. 



" So good is the bird in appearance, that I have repeatedly 

 refused the offer of £5 for him merely as a stock bird. 



"Fig. 15 represents a Homing Antwerp belonging to me to 

 which the judges gave the silver cup at the Crystal Palace 

 Poultry Show in 1875. The bird was certainly a handsome 

 one, but not, in my opinion, equal to the former, even in looks ; 

 he was purely Belgian bred, and was a good Homer, having 

 flown about 100 miles in previous years. In 1876, I entered 

 him in a private race from Brussels, but — the truth must be 

 told — I have never seen him since he was let off in that 

 pleasant city on the morning of the 20th July, and was lost, 

 although his companion in the race, not half as good looking, 

 is walking about before my eyes. 



" I have now shown what is regarded as the most esteemed 



Fig. 16. 



type of Belgian birds — viz., as regards cocks, for the hens are 

 generally less stout in the head and beak ; and I may state, that 

 the sketches are executed with the most extreme accuracy, not 

 only as regards the form, but also as to the expression of the 

 birds. Mr. T. W. "Wood, one of the most accurate of natural 

 history draughtsmen, devoted very great care to their delinea- 

 tion, and I may state that the drawings are not altered to suit 

 my views of what a good Homer should be, but show the birds 

 exactly as they are. 



" I now wish to show what is not an uncommon view of a 

 homing bird amongst some amateurs. The outline sketch (Fig. 

 16) is traced with the closest accuracy from one of the drawings 



2 K 



