42 I'lOKClNS AND ALl. ABOUT TlIEil. 



AS TO CONSTITUTION. 



Now iu si'lectiug thu variety to breed, one must i-emein- 

 ber tlitit many of our tinest birds cannot by any means 

 bave good constitutions. It is an impossibility from 

 tbe tbat most fact of them are "made" varieties and it 

 bas taken years of " inbreeding" to produce tbem. 



It is only within the last fifty years tbat tbe varieties of 

 to-day bave sjjruug up. Prior t tbat time I doubt if many of 

 tbem were in existence. Pigeons bave been kept for centuries 

 and by all kinds of people, but I am referring to wbat are 

 known as tbe "fancy" pigeons of to-day. Tbousands of men 

 have been interested in tbis changing of tbe dull colored, 

 uncouth common jjigeon into tbe dashing, high colored and 

 beautifully variegated bird of tbe present. Where one fa cier 

 bas left off, another bas taken up the work, each with the 

 idea of improving on his predecessor. 



Take for example, the short-faced Tumbler, a bird known 

 to evcryoi. e and there is no question but tbat fifty years ago 

 its b ak was long, but birds of smaller and smaller beaks 

 were selected and mated, and tbis inated parent and offspring 

 closer and closer, and naturally reduced vitality and con- 

 stitution. 



Breeding for "feather" was done in tbe same way, of 

 course. This was done liy our early brethren not with the 

 hope of raising more birds, but better birds. The early shows 

 and the consequent rivalry that existed, made each old fancier 

 outline his ideal and work up to it.. In the old days, a couple 

 of dollars was <-onsidercd an enormous price for a pair of 

 birds, while now there are scores of birds for which one hun- 

 dred dollars each would be reftised. 



But this constant striving for perfection; this constant 

 inbreeding for results, is what has made many of our best 



