CHAPTER XIII. 

 PIGEONS AND (illNEA-FOAYL. 



BREEDS OF PIGEONS. i 



Pi(iE()\s arc divided into three general classes: (1) 

 Tlidse (liH'crcntiated by characteristics other than color 

 markings, \\hlch include the hhiglish Carrier, Pouter, 

 Barb, Short-faced Tumbler, and liuut; the latter strangely 

 enough is the largest of the ]>igeons. (2) Those ditt'eren- 

 tiated by a peculiar arrangement of the feathers, as well 

 as by color markings, wliich include Turbits, Jacoliins, 

 Scandarcons, Erillbacks, Owls, Trumpeters, Eantails, Dra- 

 goons, Priests, Ikunswicks, Oriental Frills, Florentines, and 

 Homers. {',:>) Those in which color markings alone are 

 distinguishing characteristics, which include the Nuns, 

 r^Iagpies, Swallows, Helmets, Spats, Archangels, Sual)ians, 

 .Shields, Ice Pigeons, Starlings, Breasters, jNFjorheads, 

 Long-faced Tumblers, Porcelains, Hyacinths, Quakers, 

 Lahores, and Mookies. 



Of all these breeds the Homer, with its grades and crosses, 

 is the only breed that enters largely into squab production. 



Pigeon Breeding. — With pigeons the influences of breed- 

 ing is confined to a single pair, and the breeding loft sliould 

 contain only A\orking pairs of breeders. A working pair 

 refers tti birds which have voluntarily taken each other as 

 mates. The so-called "hand-mated" birds, by which refer- 

 ence is made to the fact that the l>ir(ls have been mated 

 by confining them in a mating coop, frequently prove un- 

 satisfactory because the mating proves to be temporary. 

 Voluntary mating is usually for life. 



1 This classification is the one offered by Long in "The Poultry Bnolc." 



( 44o ) 



