8 4 
The Illustrated Book of Plgeons. 
were ever seen afterwards but once, when they were offered to a well-known dealer, in Club Row, 
London, who recognised them and refused to purchase, after which they were searched for, but 
never discovered. Since then we have never seen but one really good White Carrier, and even that 
was not quite pure white, though nearly so. It was bred by Mr. Volckman, who, by the way, bred 
that season the three most extraordinary Carriers we ever yet knew one man breed and rear in the 
same year ; one of them being black, one dun, and the other the nearly white bird we are speaking 
of. All these birds were the narrowest in skull and largest and most regular in build of eye-wattle 
we have ever seen. The Black, a cock, before he was eighteen months old, won first at Birmingham, 
Manchester, and Halifax, each time under a different judge ; and the Dun, a hen, won nine prizes 
and four cups. The head of the White, a cock, was so remarkable that at the age of two and a 
half years the eye-wattle was as large as a five-shilling piece. We may also add that the same 
gentleman once took a fancy to breed Yellow Carriers, and made more progress towards his object 
in one season than we ever knew to be made before ; so much, in fact, that we regret he gave it up. 
We mention this as an encouragement to others to try and breed the rare colours, as the same 
materials are still available, and will respond to similar skill and judgment. 
The White we have here referred to was bred from a large splashed, almost white cock, mated 
to a soft dun hen. The produce of these birds were some light Mealies, one Dun, one Black, and 
the White bird in question. The white-splashed cock, we believe, was bred from one of the heavy, 
old-fashioned White Dragoons, mated to a heavy-wattled Carrier. This shows that, as with most 
other birds, white is the most pre-potent colour ; and, indeed, it is always found that when birds 
are once obtained all white, they are much less likely to throw back to different feather than any 
other colour. So that no matter how bred, if a bird be once obtained pure white all over the 
body, with a beak pure flesh-colour and free from black spots or dark stains, and, above all, what 
is termed “ bull-eyed,” or both eye-balls black and free from specks of red or orange, there is no 
more difficulty in keeping up a strain of white birds. As long, however, as there are any ticked 
or coloured feathers on the body, stains on the beak, or light specks on the eye, the progeny will 
be likely to be more or less splashed ; but by steadily selecting the purest-coloured, this may 
gradually be weeded out till the desired pure white be obtained, after which, as we have said, there 
is no more real difficulty. In thus breeding up for any scarce colour, it may be necessary to breed 
together near relatives. In such a case it is much better to breed parent and offspring together 
than brother and sister; but we would not shrink from even the latter in case of need, though care 
should be taken not to repeat such a mating in the next generation. 
This White cock of Mr. Volckman’s came afterwards into the hands of Mr. Wiltshire, who mated 
him to a pure white hen, a little better than a Dragoon, and obtained thus several pairs of pure 
Whites, which some fanciers would have called first-class Carriers, even if Blacks or Duns ; they 
were not, however, up to the mark in all points, though they showed what might be done, and what 
a promising field is open to an enterprising fancier. 
We may suggest another plan which we believe would produce very fair White Carriers in 
about three seasons, which might afterwards be perfected. There are numbers of White Dragoon 
cocks to be had, showing too much length of face, and too much eye and beak-wattle. If such a 
bird be mated to a white-rumped Blue Carrier lien with a long face (this length of face is necessary 
to counteract the Dragoon blood), and as good in flights, tail, and all other Carrier points as can 
possibly be had, the progeny will be very likely to be more or less white; and if the hen be a 
light-coloured blue so much the better. Those nearest approaching to the desired colour should 
be mated to Silvers of good quality ; and some of these various crosses will be sure to produce one 
or two all-white birds. To obtain fresh crosses and keep up the strength of blood, the fancier 
