300 FANCY PIGEONS. 



standard. About the time of the Oxford Show, in 1876, already 

 referred to, Mr. Denne, editor of the Pigeon, published an 

 article in that paper on " Exhibiting and Breeding Dragoons," 

 from which I copy the following : " It matters not what inte- 

 rested parties may say, the real value of Dragoons is about four 

 or five shillings a pair. Of course, temporary causes, such as 

 this sudden run upon them for exhibition, may cause the price 

 of them to rise to much more than this, but the price we name 

 is the true one, as experienced men know, and we have bought 

 scores of pairs as good as ever have been seen, and could have 

 bought thousands at the price. "We have even bought them as 

 late as the early part of this year, and end of last, at an average 

 price of seven shillings a pair, as good as need be wished for, 

 and, in some cases, good enough to win prizes. The highest 

 price we ever paid for a Dragoon, in the whole of our experience, 

 we paid this year, viz., seven and sixpence for a blue hen, and, 

 at the time we did so, thought we must have been slightly 

 * touched ' to pay such a price. From these birds we purchased 

 we could, had we been disposed to have gone in for Dragoon 

 breeding, have bred as good blues, chequers, and grizzles, in 

 the course of one, or, at the most, two seasons, as the ' next 

 man,' and so can anyone who has a very slight knowledge of 

 breeding, by following the instructions we will give." 



Before the days of pigeon shows, a pair of choice Pouters, 

 Carriers, or Almond Tumblers, were worth as many sovereigns 

 as the best Dragoons were worth shillings. How is it, then, 

 that now a good Dragoon is worth, roundly speaking, about as 

 much as a good pigeon of these varieties? Merely because it 

 pays well enough to give as much for a bird as it can win in a 

 season. The Dragoon formerly held the present position of the 

 homing Antwerp Carrier, and, like it, may have been occasionally 

 worth a large sum for flying purposes. It now holds the same 

 position as the Short-faced exhibition Antwerp, and is just about 

 equal to it as a fancy pigeon. Both would go down to their 

 former price of a few shillings a pair but for show encourage- 



