The English Carrier. 255 



that reda and yellows could be produced, but the time and expenae 

 requisite for the work would neceaaarily be very great. Were aeveral 

 breeders to attempt it simultaneoualy, it ia not unlikely that in twenty 

 years, or perhaps even leas, both reda and yellows might be bred, fit to 

 show in good company. 



White carriera existed from Moore's time, down to about twenty years 

 ago, when the best collection of them belonged to Mr, Potter, a London 

 breeder. His stock was stolen, and it is believed they were destroyed, as 

 none of them were ever recovered. Since then, attempts have been made 

 to reauacitate this variety, and a few fairly good ones have been bred. 

 Although there ia no aure way of breeding albinoea from coloured pigeons, 

 we know that they are ocoaaionally so produced, and I know of severa 

 instances. It is not unlikely, therefore, that some one of the many 

 carrier breeders may be fortunate enough to have a pure white young 

 one from hia best black or dun birda, and such would be much more 

 valuable than what have been bred from the dragoon cross. When an 

 albino is bred from a pair of coloured pigeons, they ought to be kept 

 breeding together, if albinoes are desired, aa they are likely to do the 

 same again, the cause of lack of colour in their produce remaining with 

 them. Ordinary white pigeons are well covered with yellow down when 

 hatched, but an albino from coloured parents is hatched devoid of down, 

 like the majority o£ pigeons which afterwards prove to be of a poor 

 yellow ; for richly coloured yellows have a good covering of down when 

 hatched, though not so much aa reds and blacks. 



Pled carriers are mentioned by Moore, but how they ought to be pied 

 neither he nor any subsequent writer has set forth. I do not think there 

 is any understanding among fanciers on the question. During the late 

 scarcity of whites, and in the attempts to breed them, parti-coloured birda 

 have been produced, and claaaea have occasionally been made for "whites 

 or pieds." There ia enough in the standard of the carrier, aa a self- 

 coloured bird, to require the utmost attention of its breeders, without 

 adding specific white marking, which would have to be done if pieda 

 were to be recognised. There ia no doubt the carrier looka best as a 

 whole-coloured pigeon. Blacka and duna have often white venta, and 

 occasionally white feathers at their hocka, or white crutches, aa they are 

 called, as well. These faults in the eyes of some judges preclude them 

 being ahown as self-coloured birda, which, with such pigeons as carriers, 



