and 7 to 6. In either case the progeny will resemble 10 and 11. 

 Through all this mating, presuming that the life of a bird is 

 three^ years, you will notice a marked resemblance between 6 and 

 (A) and 8 and (B). 



Use this resemblance: Supposing that when starting your 

 strain the cock was a Blue Barred Muff Tumbler, a dandy, great 

 massive head, large muffs, fine in color, eyes, etc. But your hen 

 was a dirty, insignificant runt, yellow eyed and grouse muffed. It 

 stands to reason that 7 and 9 progeny would be disappointing, but 

 what have we in 8, a lot of medium birds, cocks and hens, but 

 one hen a clear cut diamond among the others. Ah! This is the 

 bird on which your whole strain hinges. See chart No. 2. Mate 

 her to a cock and produce 19. Hens having a preponderance of 

 blood of (B) should be, and probably are, prize winners. Using 

 a hen from 19 And keeping your line of succession unbroken, also 

 doing the same with cocks as per chart No. 1, and you will 

 have a line of cocks and hens that is born to the blue. 



Of course the line of cocks and hens may be reversed. The 

 original hen may be the bird whose blood you wish to perpetuate 

 in cocks and hens. This can be done as shown at 20. 



Chart No. 2 is the way new varieties are formed. Selection 

 of the fittest or of a bird in this or that strain, and forming a 

 strain upon that bird forms the variety. 



We all know that birds left to themselves in fifteen or six- 

 teen years, return to the color and shape of their ancestors, the 

 old Blue Rock doves. 



Start with strong vigorous, typical birds. Remember that the 

 cock will invariably throw color and feather, and the hen type. 



In the selection of breeders strong vitality is the keynote of 

 success. Choose only perfectly developed, bright, healthy hens, 

 and vigorous active cocks. 



Given a good inherited constitution, an abundance of fresh 

 air, the right kind of food, a bath every other day, under a 

 fountain if possible, and plenty of fresh drinking water, your 

 birds should not need doses of tonic. Nature's tonics are the 

 best. 



If you follow faithfully the lines laid down here, or any 

 other lines that tend to throw the blood inter se, (brothers and 

 sisters), you will have a uniform lot of youngsters and success 

 from the start. 



15 



