57 



readily occurs, that they may be bred originally the same way at Scande- 

 roon and so transmitted us, however non nostrum est inter vos tantas 

 componere Lites, that is, we shan't take upon us to determine such contro- 

 versies as these* 



152.— There are of this kind, of all manner of feathers; but the blue 

 and blue pieds are most noted to be genuine and good, and if flown are 

 very good breeders. 



153. — These are one of the sorts of Pigeons that are chiefly made use of 

 in England, for the carriage of letters, or flying of wagers ; because those 

 that are possessed of the true original Carriers, which are at present very 

 scarce here, pay too dear, and have too great a value for them, to risk their 

 being lost upon every trifling wager, 



154.— -These pigeons when regularly flown, twice on a day, that is* 

 turned out alone and put upon wing without any others, will fly very 

 large circumferences, so that after they have made a tour or two round 

 your own house, they will fly four or five miles out at length and so main- 

 tain the circuit for an hour or two : this the Fanciers call going an end, 

 and is what Daniel Moggs, who was one of the older Fanciers, meant, when 

 he jocularly used to bid his pigeons maintain their length. 



155. — -This practice is pf admirable service to them, when they come to 

 be trained for the homing part. 



COLUMBA TABELLAKTA MINIMA. The Bragoon. 



156. — This Pigeon is absolutely and without dispute a bastard strain, 

 being bred originally from a Horseman to a Tumbler, and by matching 

 their breed often to the Horseman, they will obtain a tolerable degree of 

 stoutness. 



156. (Eaton.) — The Dragon, I think, is one of the most diflEicult Pigeons to deter- 

 mine, or, more properly speaking, where to draw the line ; how far it may approach 

 the Horseman and go no further. Believing Mr. Mooeb's account, being bred origi- 

 nally from a Horseman to a Tumbler, and by matching their breed often to the 

 Horseman, they will obtain a tolerable degree of stoutness, to which I answer, yes, too 

 stout for a Dragon and infinitely nearer a Horseman than a Dragon. If a Fancier 

 pointed out such a bird to me, asked me what 1 called it, unquestionably I should say, 

 a Horseman. I remember, at one of the Poultry Shows in London, a pair of Pigeons 

 were entered as a pair of Dragons, I considered them the best pair of Carriers in the 

 show ; they were entered in the catalogue price three guineas, I went to claim them at 

 the price, but was informed they had already been claimed ; not that I would give three 

 guineas for a pair of Dragons, yet I would have given three guineas for the pair of 

 Carriers I am writing of. This may have arose from two things, the party desirous of 

 obtaining a first prize, and fearing he should not obtain the prize by entering as Carriers, 

 to make sure of it, entered them as Dragons, and placed the low price of three guineas 

 not to be suspected. Or he might be a novice in the Fancy, the birds did fall into hia 

 hands somehow or other, he did not know a good bird when he saw it, or even knew 

 what it was, whether Carrier, Horseman, or Dragon. Another case, the eminent 

 Fancier, the late John T. Sawyer, Esq., at one of the London shows, entered six pens 

 of the most beautiful dun colored Dragons. My memory does not serve me, that he 

 entered them for competition for the prizes, I believe he did not, I think he was too 

 good a judge, and sensible judges, provided they were up to their work, would never 



