112 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



Upon being dressed for shipment, the squabs 

 are graded according to weight, at so many 

 pounds a dozen. Those that weigh a pound 

 apiece are known as "jumbos" and fetch the 

 highest price. Any birds below eight pounds a 

 dozen are culls, and little profit can be derived 

 from them. 



The breeder naturally selects strains of good 

 flesh- and bone-producing birds. The best of 

 these are the American: Antwerps or homers, 

 being prolific, of good size, and gentle breeders. 

 Other excellent varieties are the white German 

 homer, the Belgian homer, the dragoon, the 

 Dutchesse, and the runt, ranking in the order 

 named. Because light-colored squabs bring the 

 highest prices a cross between the white German 

 and the American Antwerp makes an ideal market 

 bird. The young of the dragoon are larger birds, 

 but they take five weeks to rear, instead of four. 

 The runt is the largest of all, a veritable giant, 

 but seldom produces more than four pairs of 

 young a year. 



The production of squabs reached its zenith in 

 the United States just before the breaking out of 

 the war in Europe. The trade is a local one and 

 the birds must be reared near their market. A 

 sale direct from the breeder to the consumer is the 

 one most sought for, and apparently it is the 

 only means by which the grower can be assured 

 a profit. Before the World War, however, con- 



