224 rK.KO.N.^ XSl) AIJ. AIIUTT TllKil. 



THE RUNT. 



THE Hunt is a large bird Uuit lias come Into notoriety of 

 late rears, through its size and nothing else. 



It has no markings by which the judge can use com- 

 liaiison, but it is simi>ly a large pigeon, bred large by those 

 who feel that a jiigeon lejireseiits so much meat. However 

 llic limit has lieeii found a good liiril for a cross, to malie 

 good eating sijualis. Crossed with tlie Homer, or with birds 

 of tliat class, the young have l)een found to show up iu good 

 shape, and they are certainly as good eating as can ))e found, 

 tlia.t is if one can imagine tliat the iiigeon is a bird lit only 

 to eat. To llie fanciers who look on the jiigeon as licing 

 sonu^lhiiig more tlian "a piece of livci'" /. e. si'melhing to 

 use as so much marketing, the cultivation of the liunt does 

 not offer !n;iny inducements, though it must be admitted 

 that by its size, it is an impressive sort of bird. 



Still, there is notliing in the way of grace or style, that 

 will ever make it a show bird. As to the l^rceding cpuilities 

 of the Itunt, the Kunt proper is not .'i> good a breeder as the 

 cross bred bird. Just as in any liird that is bred ti> excess in 

 certain jioints, the Kunt seems to devclope a tendency to 

 grow either into infertility or into pom feeding qualities. 



In shape, the liuut is much like the common pigeon, but 

 its tendency is to carry the tail "uji" instead of out, with the 

 flights resting below it. The neck is coarse, and the shoul- 

 ders wide; breast plump, and body rather short built. 



fStill, no regular body lines can be laid down. The judge 

 must simply jiulge by comparison, taking for his ideal a 

 large sized common pigeon, '•built for meat," and iiothin<'- 

 wise. It may be tha.t iu years to come we may liuild the 

 Paint on certain lines, and it will then lie a, show bird but 

 prior to that time we must simply assume tliat it is a lar"-e 

 common iiigcon. 



