xiv. Pigeons and All About Them. 



seems madness. Yet this price has been paid upon 

 many occasions, and for different breeds, wliilst £50, 

 £40, £30, and £20, are common everyday prices; and 

 once the high iigure of £200 was paid for a Pigeon — 

 an Enghsh Owl. 



PERFECTION THE GOAL. 



Although so many thousands of breeders are en- 

 gaged in the pursuit of breeding high-class Pigeons, the 

 perfect bird has yet to be produced. This is where the 

 great charm of the Fancy lies. Perfection is the goal, 

 but as we near the goal our ideal becomes higher, we 

 see points which need refining which we had previously 

 overlooked, and thus the object of our ambition is kept 

 from our reach. Well it is that it is so, because it 

 makes the fight for supremacy keener, and tends to 

 more health}- rivalr\'. Another great charm about 

 the Pigeon Fancy is the manner in which its favours 

 are distributed. The successful man is not always he 

 who by reason of his wealth is able to build palatial 

 aviaries, and fill them with the bluest of blue-blooded 

 stock. These men find that whilst their wealth will 

 do much for them, it will not unaided secure them 

 the highest prizes of the Pigeon Fancy. Well it is 

 that it is so, and that the earnest toiler, the man of 

 small means, yet rich in practical knowledge and ex- 

 perience, stands as good a chance of breeding the 

 champion Pigeon of the year as his richer brother. 



This being so, there is a chance for the youngest, 

 as well as the poorest, fancier, if he will possess his 

 soul in ]iatience, to reach the height of his ambition, 

 and breed the champion of the year. 



WHY MEN BECOME PIGEON BREEDER.^. 



For diverse reasons do men enter the ranks of 

 columbophilists. Some desire to add to their incomes, 

 some seek pleasure and relaxation from the cares of 

 business, and some to while away the time and give 

 them zest and interest in life. All seek and find what 

 they want. There are men known to me to-day who 

 when they first commenced Pigeon breeding did so with 

 the object of secitrine that relaxation of which I have 

 spoken, yet so earnestly and practically did they pur- 



