PREFACE. 



IN launching this, my second worlc on Pigeons, on the 

 trouhled sea of literature, I should perhaps tell why 

 the spirit has moved me to do so. First, my first 

 work was crude in the extreme, and I left untold many 

 things that should have been handled. Again I feel that I 

 have learned many things since 1891, the year of publication 

 of the lirst work, and why should I not give my fellow 

 fanciers the beuetit of my experience. While there may be 

 some of them who " knew it all " many years ago, and have 

 not absorbed an idea since, I am frank to admit that I leara 

 something about pigeons every day. I expect to up to the 

 day of my death. There is no teacher like experience, ?.ud 

 all I may say in this work will be based on what I know my- 

 self from experience, The love of pigeons was bom in m2. 

 For forty-live long years I have had pigeons of some kind, 

 and what I may have to say will be the result of countless 

 hours spent in watching the beautiful pets in my own lofts, 

 the lofts of other fanciers, and in the show rooms. The 

 pigeon has always interested me ever since my childhood, 

 and even now in my old age as I often wliirl along on trains, 

 and pass some modest house, against the stable of which is 

 nailed a crude little pigeon box, the very appearance of 

 which stamps it as the work of boyish hands, my heart goes 

 out to the little fellow, who perhaps owns his first pair of 

 common pigeons, and who loves them with that absorbing 

 love that we old fanciers only, can undeistand, and I find 

 myself wishing that the train would stop, so that I could 

 see him. take him by the hand, admire his poor little birds, 

 and Ijid him God-speed. 



The love of pets begets love of ones fellow men. A general 

 love draws all mankind together, and that is one reason why 

 I do not hesitate to attempt thi.s book, for the good hearts 

 of my fellow fanciers, will cause them to overlook all mi.s- 

 takes and excuse the errors to which we are all jirone, and 

 lay them to the head, and not to the heart. 



Frank M. Gii.r.KRx. 



