PREFACE. 



This work has been chiefly written because such a book was 

 repeatedly asked for. No apology is therefore needed for its 

 publication. 



In preparing it the writer has endeavoured to preserve the 

 same plain and practical character which obtained for the 

 " Practical Poultry Keeper " such a wide popularity. Theo- 

 retical discussions have been eschewed except in a very few 

 cases, where a few words seemed likely to throw practical light 

 on questions of deep interest to pigeon fanciers, such as the 

 origin of Tumblers and of Tumbling, and the true ideal 

 standard for Owls and Jacobins. The object has been to get 

 the greatest amount of practical information on practical points 

 into a small space. How far that object has been attained must 

 be left to the judgment of the reader. 



