131 



Bhot some which were taking their homeward flight from the fields one afternoon, and 

 on examining their crops, they were found to be full of seeds of some weeds that would 

 cost no end of trouble to get rid of. 



377. Great numbers of Pigeons are kept in a semi-wild state in the eastern counties 

 of England, costing very little for food, and amply paying for their house room with 

 their young ones. They are generally of a siaty colour, sometimes brown and not 

 unfrequently white ; but when many young ones are thrown of this latter colour, it is 

 a sign the flock is getting degenerate and that fresh blood is wanted. In some parts of 

 England wild Pigeons are so common (indeed, most of the birds before mentioned are 

 but offshoots from the wild Roc Pigeons) that they intermingle with the dove-cote 

 birds, and render the introduction of strangers unnecessary. 



378. Many dozens of young birds are produced by an average flock in the course of 

 a year, and these when killed young, are esteemed much before the French Pigeons, 

 althought the latter are much larger. Twelve pairs of Pigeons bred between the runt 

 and common roc (not Sinbad's), have been known to rear eleven dozens of young 

 ones, between the 1st of January and the 31st of December. To any one with conve- 

 nience for them, and they do not require much, half-a-dozen or a dozen pairs of com- 

 mon Pigeons will soon pay for their keep, and leave a margin for profit if taken a little 

 care of. Their house shoiild face the south, there should be three times as many nests 

 as there are pairs of birds, and the house kept tolerably clean, i.e., cleaned out often 

 enough to keep it sweet, but not to disturb the breeding birds. 



MODEL PEIZE LIST FOR PIGEONS. 



379. In the Model Prize List inserted in No. 59 of the Poultry Chronicle, 1 perceive, 

 no doubt owing to the badly written manuscript, that some of the divisional names have 

 been inserted as class names, more particularly in the Pigeon list, hj which means 

 they do not appear properly divided, and the divisional name Tumbler being inserted in 

 the class intended for Almond Tumblers, whereby that class appears to be left out, an 

 error I did not think right to pass by. I therefore beg its re-insertion in its corrected 

 form : — 



1st Division. — Carriers. 



A. 

 B, 



E. 

 E. 

 G. 

 H. 

 I. 



English Carriers, 

 Horsemen 



best 



pair 



2nd Division. 



Almonds , 



Mottles and whole colours... 



Baldheaded 



Bearded 



Magpied 



C. Dragoons 



D. Antwerps 



-Tumblers. 



J. Any other variety of Tum- 

 blers, as helmeted, white 

 shouldered, saddle-backed, 

 or rough-footed, &c 



K. Leghorn 



L- Spanish 



M. Roman 



N. Any other variety of Punts.. 



3rd Division. — Runts. 



An extra prize might be awarded 

 in this division for the largest 

 pair, irrespective of variety. 



O. 



Pouters, best pair 



Best cock 



Best hen 



Fan tails, best pair 



Jacobins 



Trumpeters ...; 



4th Division. — Fancy Pigeons. 



S. 



T. 



U. 



V. 



W. 



X. 



Barbs 



Turbits 



Owls 



Laughers 



Frill Backs ... 

 Laced or Silk 



5th Division. — Tots. 

 380. I enumerate seventeen varieties of toys, but it is not probable that nearly all of 

 them would be shown at once ; therefore I include them in one class, and the Judges 

 might be empo^;^i^red to award a prize to the best pair in each variety, where deserving 

 specimens were shown. The prizes need not be so high for the toys as they should be 

 in the four previous divisions. The toys are as follows : — Suabians or Spangles, Nuns, 

 Priests, Monks, Archangels, White ditto, or Breasts, Stomachers, Spots, White ditto, 

 1 2 



