CHAPTER XVIII 

 FANCY PIGEONS 



CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES 



Considering the vast difference in the general appearance of 

 the different varieties of pigeons, there is perhaps a more 

 marked distinction between them than with any other animal 

 species and yet with all their differences including feather 

 growth, color, size, characteristics, etc., they possess the same 

 common habits and general traits. In short, pigeons are pig- 

 eons the world over though of many varieties. 



It is said there are over three hundred kinds of breeds of 

 pigeons, all of which are supposed to come from the ancient 

 Rock pigeon. The Rock pigeon in its wild state has all the 

 habits and characteristics of the domestic pigeon. In fact, with 

 the exception that the Rock pigeon is uniform in size and color, 

 there is little difference between them and the common barn- 

 yard pigeon. Darwin and other noted men who have studied 

 the origin of pigeons, claim that by the method of selection and 

 elimination, "aided by climate and other conditions, various 

 different breeds have been developed from the Rock pigeon. 

 This is borne out by what is possible to accomplish now by 

 the same process. 



There are five radical or extreme developments in pigeons, 

 namely: size, shape, color, feather arrangement and habits. 

 Two, three, four and sometimes five of these peculiarities are 

 found developed in a single breed of birds. The English Pouter, 

 for instance, is large in size, specially marked as to color. His 

 feather arrangement includes long feathers on the legs, slender 

 body and crop, and its habit of filling its crop with air and 

 prancing around miakes a m.arked difference in its habits. A 

 Tumbler is another .example of a breed with all five distinctions 

 being greatly developed. They are extremely small in size, 

 are bred in solid colors, have a very short, odd shaped head, 

 are bred with or without long feathers on the feet and legs, and 

 will turn over and over in the air when flying. The Jacobin 



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