Selection of Stock. 29 



Black African Owls, Black Tumljlers, Black Jacobins, 

 Archangels, Chequer Dragoons, Chequer Show 

 Homers, Black and ^Mottled Trumpeters. Again, a 

 loft situated in an open spot in the South or West of 

 England, with little or no protection from the blazing 

 ra_vs of the sun, would be most unsuitable for such 

 breeds as Red, Yellow, and Cream ^lagpies, Red and 

 Yellow Tumblers, Red and Yellow Owls, because the 

 all-powerful rays of Old vSol would quickh' bleach and 

 ruin their coats. 



In a small country town, or village, where there is 

 little dirt and smoke, birds of white, light, and delicate 

 plitmage may be kept with ease, comfort, and pleasure, 

 but for dwellers in large towns to keep such is the 

 height of folly. They can never hope to successfully 

 compete with their more favoured brethren, whose li\'es 

 are cast in more pleasant and favoural)le surroundings, 

 because no matter how good a ]\Iagpie, a White Jacobin, 

 a White Fantail, or a White Owl may be in actual 

 structtiral and feather properties, it can never show its 

 natural beauty to advantage against the coiuitry-bred 

 bird, because cleanliness has much to do with beauty. 



From this it will be seen that if success is hoped 

 for, considerable thoitght must be given to one's sur- 

 roitndings ere finally deciding which variety to keep. 

 Thus, whilst the cold, bleak North is just the place 

 to keep such breeds as are apt to grow too much wattle 

 and cere, its cutting winds which mean success in 

 tightening and hardenins" wattles and ceres would 

 effectually prevent the full fruition of the beauty of 

 feather needed in the long and softer feathered breeds. 

 After reading these notes it should not be difficult for 

 the veriest novice to decide what kind of Pigeon is likely 

 to do well in his particular district. 



H0\\' i\r.\N^' P.VIR.S. 



Having decided upon the breed, the next f|uestion 

 is: How many pairs? This is generally decided by 

 the accommodation at hand, and, as a consequence, 

 failure speedily comes. r^Iost young fanciers like to see 

 a bird on every perch; vacant perches are an eyesore 

 to them. They want to see a lot of birds about the 



