212 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. 



and the Owl blood now and then comes out in a frill ; but all 

 good flyers will, however, be found to have a bold eye, a 

 capacious forehead, and powerful wings. Much dispute and 

 heart-burning has been caused by the classes now so common 

 for the " best " flying pigeons at many shows. It is impossible 

 in. a pen to select the " best.'' Though a practised eye can 

 select birds which, by their powerful pinions and other signs, 

 promise well, scarcely any large class fails to show examples of 

 the "best" being overlooked, imless the judge recognises them ; 

 whereas, if the prizes were awarded for the " handsomest " 

 Homing Pigeons, their right to class as such being decided by 

 the usual tests, the selection would speak for itself, and all 

 heart-burnings be removed. The only other way of avoiding 

 such disputes and absurdities woiild be to make such classes 

 local to the town where the show was held, to take the birds a 

 given jotu^ney, and award prizes to the first rettirned; in other 

 words, to fly them to the show or show-town instead oi/rom it. 

 This plan may be recommended as likely to be of far greater 

 local interest, and placing the class on its true footing. 



The loft for a stud of Homing Pigeons should be high. 

 Such a position is not only much easier found by the birds, 

 but experience teaches that there is much less loitering outside 

 than if low down, as in a garden ; also much less danger from 

 cats. The birds being constantly in and out, a cage or area, 

 somewhat resembling Fig. 33, must be provided, by which the 

 pigeons can enter at all times, but cannot leave the loft without 

 the owner's permission. On reaching home they light upon a 

 ledge or board outside the area, and if the trap-door is open, 

 enter at once through the open space. If it is closed, they 

 etner by pushing inwa/rds swing wire doors called "bolting- 

 wires," provided for that purpose on each side of the trap-door, 

 and which will lift or swing from the top inwards, but are 

 prevented by a beading on the frame at the bottom from open- 

 ing outwards. In Fig. 33, these are represented as swinging 



