BREEDING 83 



of each squab, while it is soft and pliable (five 

 days old), marked with a number, thus: 270, 

 271. Then enter these numbers in a record 

 book, with the date, under the number of the 

 nest in which the squabs were hatched. The 

 numbers are the nest-mate numbers. When 

 the squabs are grown into pigeons the breeder 

 adds to his record the color, marking and sex, 

 thus: 



n. 24— ps. 125 & 130, ns. 7 & 10. 

 Jan. 1913. 270 — s. b. cock 

 271 — b. b. hen 

 Mar. " 272 — b. b. hen 



This means nest 24, parents 125 and 130 

 from nests 7 and 10. Date of hatch, January, 

 11913. 270 and 271 are nest-mates (in fact all 

 squabs from ps. 125 & 130 are nest-mates) — 

 the cock being silver-barred and the hen blue- 

 barred. March, 19 13, 272, a blue-barred hen, 

 was the only occupant of nest 24. 



As pigeons never change their nests, by 

 means of this record book the breeder can trace 

 back the genealogy of a pigeon for generations. 

 If one of the parents dies and a new mate Is 

 taken, the breeder simply draws a line beneath 

 the last hatch and starts anew, thus : 



n. 24— ps. 125 & 200, ns. 7 & 40. 



