Breeding Blue- pied Pouters. 
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In fact, it has always been looked upon as next to impossible to breed good Black-picds free from 
foul feathers ; so that most fanciers have been fully content when they produced birds with so few 
as to be removable without leaving any indications which could catch the judge’s eye. We know, 
indeed, of no one who at present officiates in that capacity but is so well aware of this difficulty, 
that unless the removed feathers are so numerous as to be plainly missed, he never dreams of dis- 
qualifying for them, and no exhibitor ever anticipates being passed over for a feather or two in this 
breed. Many yet think that Black-pieds really clean cannot be bred, and by the latter crosses we 
are not sure they can ; but we do assert that by the method first described we have known really 
grand Black-pieds bred, which were, really and honestly, perfectly free from foul feathers, and by 
this method only. No doubt there are others who will declare that they have also bred such; and 
perhaps by other methods. If so, we do not doubt their word in the least, but we only pretend 
to give our own knowledge, and this method is the only one we ever knew to produce them ; and 
we are perfectly sure that if fanciers will have but the patience and perseverance to adopt it, we 
should soon see at our shows such an array of the grand Black-pied Pouter as never yet gladdened 
the eye of any Pouter fancier. 
Black-pieds are very often finely marked on the globe, and also upon the shoulder, or what is 
called “well-pinioned — markings which are difficult to get in some other colours. Each colour 
has its peculiar difficulties, and why in Blacks it should be so exceedingly rare a sight to see a 
clean thigh we do not pretend to explain. 
The next colour we will mention is the Blue-pied. Its markings in general are similar to 
those of the Blacks, Reds, and Yellows (except that, as already mentioned, Reds and Yellows 
have white tails) ; but it has one more property additional which gives it an advantage over all 
the standard colours — viz., besides its own proper blue colour it possesses the black bars upon the 
wing. When these bars are brown, or what are called “ kite-bars,” it indicates too much Mealy 
blood. The Blue-pied is generally of a more strong and vigorous constitution than the other 
colours — which is true in fact of nearly all blue pigeons, owing probably to its being the natural 
wild colour — and such is no doubt the reason why more specimens which deserve to be called 
nearly perfect are found in this colour than any other. This is obvious, since the comparative 
ease with which they are reared — we say comparative ease, for even they are hard enough — 
makes them more plentiful, and gives more room for choice. Hence it is chiefly in this colour 
that birds of wonderful dimensions are found — such as nineteen and a half or twenty inches — and 
with length of limb to show off to advantage such length of feather, which have rarely been found 
so combined in any colour but Blue-pied. Many have passed through our hands not less than 
seven and a quarter inches from the joint of the thigh to the end of the toe-nail, fairly measured, 
though few looked quite so long ; and we have had birds that measured what we have said, and 
which actually looked less than others which only measured six inches. Our views on this point, 
and against judging by mere measurement, have been already expressed. 
In breeding Blue-pieds there is less difficulty than in Blacks, Reds, or Yellows ; this being 
a colour which breeds true, as being a natural one. If both birds are well marked, or nearly 
approaching the markings so clearly shown in our coloured plate, nothing more is necessary so far 
as colour is concerned. If one bird, no matter which, has too much marking — say too heavy a bib — 
while the other has too little, this also will do ; as will too much with too little pinion-marking. 
But one matching is to be especially avoided unless absolutely necessary — namely, putting together 
birds both “too gay,” or with too much white marking on the bib or pinions, or both. From 
such a cross is almost sure to be produced a lot of birds foully marked with white, as might be 
expected. But bearing these points in mind, and keeping a proper balance of colour, either by 
