140 Fancy Pigeons. 



able for their power of flying long distances in quick time. The cross of 

 the dragoon with the smerle or cumulet is called a demi-bec, and the 

 cross of the dragoon-smerle with the cumulet, or dragoon-cumulet with 

 the emerle, a Quart-beo. The Quart-bee, bred over again to the smerle 

 or cumulet, takes after its progenitors, so that among the best pigeons 

 there are various types of skull, some after the owl strain, while others 

 are more run out in head and beak. The chief colours foand in the Ant- 

 werp are blue, blue-chequer, mealy, and red chequer, and these colours 

 pied to some extent with white. These colours are the most natural, 

 being what are found among semi-wild pigeons, and in process of time 

 have doubtless asserted themselves as the hardiest and fittest for the 

 severe work they have to perform. 



Coming now to the consideration of the wonderful performances of 

 Antwerps in returning distances of 500 miles and more, there is no doubt 

 that training has much to do with it, that great numbers of them are lost 

 in the severe training they get, and that the percentage of birds that 

 would return from a first toss of 400 miles would bo but small. Still, 

 they have been known to return to their domicile from such a distance, 

 without any previous training, and therefore there remains something 

 still unexplained in connection with them, which may never be satisfac- 

 torily elucidated. Dogs, cats, and other animals have been known to 

 return immense distances when taken from home — they have been sent 

 by sea and have returned by land ; but then we hear of such incidents 

 when they happen, and of those who do not so distinguish themselves we 

 never hear. 



Some years ago Mr. James Huie, of Glasgow, the well-known pouter 

 fancier, a writer whose diction and style of composition have caused 

 many to wish that he had written otherwise than only fugitively on fancy 

 pigeons, contributed the following article on the Antwerp carrier to the 

 Journal of Sorticidture : 



'^ Power of Wing and Compass. 



*' I hear a voice you cannot hear, 

 ■\Vbich bids me not to stay ; 

 I Fee a hand you cannot see, 

 Which beckons me awaj, 



" There has been much interesting writing on the powers of the carrier 

 pigeon, the length and rapidity of their flights and modes of training, 



