[20 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
using the produce according to the way they strain, breeding Blacks back to black, and Sandies 
back to red. Sandies may be bred back to black, but I prefer the other course. 
“ Reds, again, as a rule breed together, but, if, necessary, they may be crossed with Blacks as 
above stated. 
“Yellows should, if of a good rich colour, be bred together. When a cross is needed use- 
Reds, which will improve the colour of your Yellows, but the produce is unfit for breeding except 
back to Yellows, as the introduction of the yellow into your Reds has a great tendency to spoil 
the shade of red. 
“ There is no difficulty in feather with Whites, except on limbs, so form alone requires your 
care. Whites do well to cross with any of the pied colours, having a tendency to get rid of foul 
thighs in the produce. In breeding the birds from this cross, care should be taken to select the 
birds with least splash in them for breeding back to Whites, and the reverse in breeding back to 
the colours from which they have been produced, care being taken, also, not to match them up to 
any other colour than that from which they are descended. This cross is not so desirable in 
yellows as in the other colours, as it may tone down the yellow. I am aware this cross will take 
more time to get your birds from it well up again to the standard pied colours, and therefore do 
not recommend it strongly. 
“ I do not enter into the question of breeding Mealies and Chequers, as I feel quite sure that 
in the breeding of the five standard classes to perfection, there is room enough for the exercise of 
the talent of the best and most ardent fanciers, and in my mind these are not required for that 
purpose. I am aware that some old and good fanciers, whose opinions I am bound to respect, 
differ from me on this point. 
“Be sure to select birds of sound constitution to breed from, and avoid those with ‘snips/ 
‘ lawn sleeves,’ ‘ ring-necks,’ and ‘ swallow throats.’ In fact every fancier should breed from the 
most perfect birds he can procure, as regards both form and feather. I would say to a young 
fancier, begin with one colour, and when you have produced birds of the right stamp, then you 
can increase your colours or classes as your taste and circumstances permit. 
“ I understand many fanciers allow their Pouters to feed their own young. I never did so, 
although for many years I matched up from thirty to thirty-six pairs. I gave all their young ones 
to feeders — allowed to fly, and supplied with plenty of sound food, principally peas and beans, 
and occasionally a little Indian corn or wheat. 
“ I wish to impress on all fanciers who intend to show their Pouters, the necessity of ‘ training ’ 
them well. After they have got fairly through the first moult, commence training such birds as 
you intend to be shown. They must be so penned as that they cannot see any other bird ; they 
must be taught to keep their block in the pen, and frequently talked to and handled, to make them 
familiar, so that they will ‘ show ’ when any one approaches their pen. Do not allow them to 
learn the habit of pecking at your hand, as this spoils their showing. The best bird in a class may 
be passed without notice if not well trained. Pigeons, like other animals, have got tempers ; and a 
sulky, bad-tempered bird will never be a winner in a show-pen, and I question the propriety of 
breeding from such birds, as they transmit this peculiarity as well as others.” 
We have now to consider the breeding of the Pouter in reference to other points ; and the 
first remark it seems needful to make is, that very seldom are good exhibition cocks and hens 
produced from the same pair. Few amateurs, probably, ever think at the commencement of their 
career about carefully selecting a pair for the production of cocks and another for hens ; but most 
endeavour to procure a nice handsome pair, just nicely feathered on the legs and feet, and expect 
