The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



specimens of the highest standard, the mating for breed- 

 ing purposes may not be at all in the proper line for per- 

 fection breeding. Therefore the better way would be 

 to arrange with him you purpose buying of, to furnish 

 you with good breeding stock, properly mated for best 

 results. In this way you will start right, and while the 

 Specimens sent you may not be just what you have seen 

 at the exhibitions, their progeny will be much more like- 

 ly to turn out well and satisfactory than though you 

 had bought birds matched for appearance only, and the 

 price will also be more satisfactory. 



I am supposing now that you are dealing with such 

 men as I have recommended, and men who have self- 

 respect enough to deal fairly with their customers. 

 Should you unfortunately fall into the hands of a "shy- 

 ster" or dealer of no principle, do not become discour- 

 aged, and class all fanciers in the same category as he, 

 but try again and you will find that even your dearly- 

 bought experience will not be wholly lost. If possible 

 for you to do so, after settling on the varieties you 

 would like to keep, purchase two or three pairs of each 

 variety ; this will then allow of your being able to mate 

 up birds for your second year's breeding not wholly re- 

 lated to each other; in other words, it will avoid the 

 necessity of too close in-and-in breeding, and providing 

 you have been fortunate enough to select from breeders 

 of character, will give you stock which, while not closely 

 related, still has all the elements of a good family in its 

 veins necessary to permit of your raising good birds 

 and building up a strain of your own. 



In opening a correspondence always state squarely 

 what you expect and are looking for, but unless you are 

 in want of exhibition birds, do not set your standard 

 too high, or you may run against a rock in the shape 



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