The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



ever come when we shall see all pigeons perfect; But 

 experience shows us that all the fancy properties of the 

 various breeds can be improved, and the study required 

 is to know how and what to mate to produce standard 

 birds. 



Undoubtedly careful in-breeding goes far towards 

 perpetuating certain good qualities, but it must be done 

 with judgment and not in a reckless, thoughtless man- 

 ner. Having several pairs of one kind bred from one 

 stock, will aid you much in the matter of mating, and 

 enable you better to decide how to in-breed them to pro- 

 duce high-class birds of their variety. All established 

 strains have been bred for the purpose of perfecting 

 the characteristics that go to make up a good bird, and 

 having these characteristics, in a measure, fixed in them 

 by combining the blood of relatives, it is not as difficult 

 to improve a deficiency in one bird by mating it to a 

 bird more perfect in character than it is where entirely 

 foreign blood is introduced to accomplish same results. 

 Many a fancier has found that the introduction of such 

 alien blood, has worked havoc in his flock simply be- 

 cause he has chosen a bird because it looked well and 

 of which he knew nothing as to its breeding. 



If after your second season's breeding, you have been 

 successful in raising a few birds of superior merit, do 

 not be tempted to part with them, as in them you must 

 find another step towards perfection in >our flock. Like 

 the friend whose affection has been tried, hold to them 

 as it were with "hooks of steel," for they are worth 

 more to you if you want to keep up the improvement 

 of your stock than the paltry dollars of your customer. 

 We are supposing that the fancier is breeding for qual- 

 ity and the love of the pursuit, and not for the profit 

 there is in it. This will come when he has so far im- 



