THE ILLUSTRATED 
BOOK OF PIGEONS 
CHAPTER I. 
THE PIGEON FANCY. 
: [IE “ fancy” for Tigeons, as it is called, stands on a different footing 
in many respects to the propensity for keeping Poultry ; though 
time was — and not so very long ago either — when even a poultry- 
fancier was apt to be fought shy of, as being eccentric at least, if 
not worse. Still, poultry might be always considered as more or 
less useful ; and in early days many a man was thankful to take 
refuge in the eggs they laid (but which his wife in those times 
never got — far too precious were they for that) as a reason for 
keeping the rare and costly birds in which his heart was so bound 
up. But such reasons cannot be alleged for keeping pigeons. 
Doubtless such things as pigeon-pies are not utterly unknown, 
and, if you happen to make one of the first storming party, are 
by no means to be despised ; but any pigeon-fancier would scorn to pretend that he kept and 
bred his birds for such a destination as that. And hence, later even than his poultry-fancying 
brother, he has had to put up with sneers and insinuations about the “ low” character of his 
pursuit, which could only have arisen from utter ignorance of what that pursuit really is, and what 
it is that gives to it such a strange fascination. 
What it is, is very simply and easily stated. It is the cultivation and pursuit of ideal beauty in 
its highest forms ; it is the constant effort to approach a standard of perfection impossible of 
attainment ; it is progress, ever approaching completion, yet never completed, towards a beautiful 
shadow which ever and anon seems within reach, yet which is never grasped. It thus presents all 
the encouragement of success, with all the stimulus of failure ; all the satisfaction of good work 
well done, with all the desire for greater perfection yet to be accomplished. We have heard 
poultry-fanciers laugh — nay, we have laughed ourselves — when their pigeon brethren have claimed 
for their pursuit a higher character, but there is truth in the claim ; for the very combination of 
utility with beauty in fowls forhids the fancier ever forming an extreme ideal. Hence the reason 
why fowls which approach what is called perfection are plenty, while pigeons are so few. The 
one fancier seeks such development as he can get, consistent with his birds remaining useful to 
him ; the other follows his ideal alone, untrammelled by any sublunary considerations whatever. 
And, hence, we find in the pigeon-fancy a numerous body of strictly amateur societies for 
