NECESSITY OF VIGOUR. 81 



tant general rules to keep in mind. One of these is that this 

 variety cannot be bred in-and-in so long as many other pigeons. 

 It appears that vigour of constitution is necessary to keep up a 

 good quantity of the peculiar growth which forms the " wattle," 

 as is, indeed, natural enough ; for this reason, while in-breeding 

 will often improve shape and style of wattle, it almost always, 

 after one or two generations, begins to diminish size. Hence 

 an ocasional cross is absolutely necessary ; but the breeder 

 should endeavour, for reasons already given, to provide these as 

 far as possible in his 'own loft. We have seen an extraordinary 

 improvement in growth of wattle produced by one cross on a 

 well-bred strain of birds which had thus been run " too fine." 



A still more important thing for the Carrier breeder ever to 

 keep before him is to keep up health and vigour in his hens. 

 In a highly artificial breed like this, the natural difference in 

 vigour of the two sexes is much intensified. Hens, as a rule, 

 are hatched second in the nest ; and as Carriers do not feed so 

 easily as other pigeons (except short-faces), they are very apt 

 to become stunted. It is ten times as difficult to procure a 

 large and strong Carrier hen with good points as a cock ; and 

 such a hen is, therefore, always worth buying, whether immedi- 

 ately wanted or not. But what we would particularly impress 

 upon the amateur is to breed himself for strong hens. Care 

 should be taken to take away the first egg till the second is 

 ready, as already mentioned, and thus prevent the (probable) 

 young cock from getting the start ; and especially, when it is 

 believed a hen is hatched from the best birds, it may be given 

 the whole food from an extra pair of feeders. If these cannot 

 be had, it is well worth while sacrificing the young cock (unless 

 unusually promising) for the sake of improving the hen. 



Again, if the amateur lives in the country, and can manage 



it, it is an excellent plan to let the young hens fly at liberty for 



at least a few months. More than this can generally not be 



allowed, as liberty seems to check the growth of wattle, while it 



o 



