114 



and the ISth, by M. Mertens, of Antwerp. During the event it blue a perfect hurri- 

 cane for a great portion of the time ; and the weather has been so bad throughout the 

 entire season that many of the Fanciers have lost all their birds in training. From 

 the foregoing it will be seen that the Namurians were particularly fortunate, having 

 gained nearly half the prizes. 



260. (Brent.) — The innate propensity of all tame Pigeons to return to the place of 

 their nativity, or their established home, has led man to make use of them as mediums 

 of communication, and as some sorts are pre-eminently useful in this respect, they 

 have been named Carrier Pigeons. Of these, the Antwerp, the English Carrier, Horse- 

 man, and Dragoon, the Tumbler, and the Owl, are the sorts most generally used. For 

 the present, I will confine myself to a description of the Antwerp Carrier, a Pigeon of 

 all others that has proved itself most useful for long journeys, having performed extra- 

 ordinary distances. 



261. (Brent.) — The Antwerp Carrier derives its name from being bred in the city 

 of that name in Belgium. In the ancient towers and lofty steeples of that venerable 

 city nestle a small variety of Rock Pigeon, peculiar. I believe, to that part of the Con- 

 tinent ; in colour they are mealy or strawberry, the wings barred with a redder tint, as 

 also the neck ; their beaks are dove-shaped, long and fine, the head round in front like 

 that of the blue Eock ; the eyes bright and prominent, of a gravel or pale yellow 

 colour. They are exceedingly shy and wild, it being almost impossible to entrap any 

 of them ; young ones are, however, occasionally taken from the nest and reared. These 

 and their progeny constitute the true Antwerp Carrier. But these wild Antwerps 

 must not be confused with the wild, or rather the many escaped Pigeons, numbers of 

 which frequent the public buildings in most large towns. 



262. (Brent.) — The few persons that breed this variety of Pigeon are very choice of 

 them, and rarely part with any ; when, indeed, they d o, it is generally those they can 

 rely upon returning home. 



263. (Brent.) — The homing propensity of this valuable variety of Pigeons is so 

 natural to them, that it is surprising what a small amount of training will make them 

 proficients ; Squeakers will often return home from long distances, though they may 

 have been kept in a considerable time. One marked peculiarity of the Antwerp is their 

 flight, starting off in straight line when thrown up, then turning direct for home, not 

 circling round as other Pigeons do before they start, and also the straggling appearance 

 of the flight when turned out from their loft for exercise. They are good breeders at 

 home, but if removed to a strange place it is almost impossible to get them to do so. 

 So wild and restless are they, that if confined to an aviary for twelve months, most of 

 them will be found in flying condition at the expiration of the time, and quite ready 

 to perform the journey home, though it may be one hundred or two hundred miles ; 

 whereas, were other Pigeons thus confined, most of them would be so fat and out of 

 practice, that they would be quite fatigued with a few circles, and very few of what 

 are commonly called Carrier Pigeons would have any inclination to leave after such a 

 hmg confinement. 



264. (Brent.) — It may be wondered at that, as these Pigeons are so valuable, and 

 also good breeders, they do not become more plentiful ; but this is to be accovmted 

 for in many ways, a few of which are as follow : — The various accidents to which 

 Pigeons are liable, either in being sent or returning home from long journeys ; the 

 great number of birds of prey which are everywhere to be met with on the Continent ; 

 the continual disturbance to them while sitting to send them out for a match, for this 

 Pigeon flying is carried to a great extent in Belgium, which causes those possessed of 

 a pure strain to be very careful not to part from them, through the fear that they 

 might, at some other time, unavoidably match against their own birds ; this will also, 

 in a great measure, account for their rare appearance in England. 



265. (Brent.) — I am, however, incUned to believe that the Antwerp of which I 

 have been speaking is comparatively a recent acquisition, perhaps within the last twenty 

 or thirty years ; the Pigeon formerly in use in Belgium was, without doubt, the Owl. 

 The short-faced Antwerps are a cross between the real Antwerp and the Owl Pigeon, 

 which latter they frequently veiy much resemble, many of them having quite respect- 

 able fi-ills and gullets. They are not quite so wild as the true sorts, but inherit much 



