58 THE PKACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. 



CHAPTER Y. 



EXHIBITING PIGEONS. 



It is almost impossible to make any real mark in the pigeon- 

 fancy without exhibiting in some form ; by which we mean 

 simply producing one's own birds in company with others of 

 the same variety for comparison, and exposing them to the 

 more or less free comments of other fanciers. Birds of a very 

 respectable class may of course be produced without this ; but 

 birds of the front rank — such as are fit to hold their own in 

 good competition — scarcely ever, since without actual compari- 

 son the amateur can never know how his own stock really 

 stands. It may be asked, Will it not answer the same purpose 

 to carefully compare otlier birds when thus shown, and then 

 judge how they rank towards his own ? Certainly not. Did 

 ever any mother think her own child ugly? and she is not 

 more blind to its defects than a fancier to those of the birds he 

 has bred. He cannot but exaggerate in his own mind their 

 good properties and tone down their bad ones; and so much is 

 this the case that, even if his birds at a show are far apart 

 from others, it is almost impossible for him to judge them 

 fairly. No ; he should see them side hy side with others, and 

 thus only can he learn how they really stand, tUl years of 

 experience have put him quite beyond our teaching. At most 

 shows there is sufficient good feeling and freemasonry to aUow 

 of any birds being thus taken out of their pens and compared 

 with others — of course, under proper supervision — and in this 

 way much may be learnt; whilst personal conversation will 

 bring to light points the owner never dreamt of. 



The money consideration is also important to most people. 

 Good birds can only be procured at good prices — rather large 

 prices in some varieties — and unless some can be sold also at 



