The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



oers mention in tlieir reports of such races flocks that, 

 though liberated at 6:30 a. m., did not return until 7 :30 

 and 8 p. m. of same day. This shows a marvellous 

 amount of endurance, equal to that of the Homer, and 

 when we think that most of this time they are so high up 

 that the eye can hardly distinguish them, and frequently 

 are entirely beyond the range of vision, it seems won- 

 derful, indeed, and awakens at once a greater degree of 

 interest in these little pets. We praise man for his valor- 

 ous deeds, the horse for his wonderful bursts of speed, 

 and the dog for his great intelligence, then why should 

 we not render our meed of praise to the little aerial vo\ - 

 ageur whose surprising performance on the wing makes 

 us open our eyes in astonishment that one so small 

 should accomplish so much? 



Contra-distinct from the high-flying Tumbler we 

 have another little pigeon pet, that is kept for amuse- 

 ment and as a curiosity. I refer to the "inside" house 

 or ground Tumbler. This little pigeon, while the coun- 

 terpart in size, form, and coloring of the common Out- 

 side Tumbler, differs from it in the fact that it is so 

 constituted as to be unable, as a rule, to rise to any 

 great height on account of its tumbling proclivities. 

 For this reason it is usually kept confined and never 

 allowed entire freedom for fear it should become the 

 prey of cats, dogs, and other lovers of pigeon flesh. 



The origin of this variety of Tumbler is rather uncer- 

 tain. Brent, an English writer, speaks of them as a 

 Scotch variety. Tegetmeier, a noted English writer and 

 judge, mentions a pigeon peculiar to India that rolls or 

 tumbles when shaken from side to side and then placed 

 on the ground. As I have never seen such specimens 

 in America nor heard of their being bred in England, 

 we can, hardly expect to trace our little Inside Tumblers 



8 113 



