148 THE PIGEON BOOK 



A good deal of beauty in the Trumpeter consists in the 

 foot-feathering, but many of the varieties shown at the 

 present time are devoid of carriage, and crouch very con- 

 siderably in the pen ; but a shell crest adds beauty to the 

 bird, which almost appears blinded by the mass of feather 

 covering the head. I have seen Red Trumpeters and also 

 Duns, but the best specimens at shows are generally Blacks 

 or Black Mottles. The Trumpeter makes a peculiar 

 sound in cooing, quite different to the ordinary pigeon, 

 and hence it derives its name. This peculiarity of the 

 voice, however, is not taken into account in judging the 

 bird, and the main properties upon which it is judged 

 are the feather qualities, markings in the mottles, and 

 crest, legs, and foot feathering. 



CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

 SPORTING PIGEONS. 



Foremost amongst the pigeons for sport must rank the 

 racer. It is over ten years since the bird was given this 

 name. Let us hope that it will not be ousted from it, 

 like it has been in the past. The Carrier pigeon was 

 originally so named, as it was the message-carrier in its 

 day; the Dragon came next, the Homer next. In fact, 

 variety after variety of pigeons has been taken up for 

 utility, only to be spoiled by the craze for showing. 



It is impossible to say what breeds have and have not 

 been used to " make " the racing pigeon. The Cumulet, 

 the Antwerp, the Carrier, the Dragon, and the Horseman 

 have all been used and crossed. Evidence of the Dragon 

 cross often shows itself even in present-day strains. 



The present long-distance racing pigeon owes its 



