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Pigeon Department. 
ANTWERP PIGEONS. 
WItTHOUT wishing to disprrage the claims of any of the 
beautiful varieties of the domestic pigeon now cultivated, I 
would say to those about to enter upon the pigeon fancy, 
who are undecided what particular kind to keep, try the 
Antwerp. It is as hardy as any, more prolific than most, 
and for beauty of plumage, and sprightliness of carriage, 
will bear comparison with any other variety, in addition to 
which it is more sensible than any other breed, and when 
once settled to a particular locality, is not readily lost. 
There is no necessity for building an expensive house 
with a southern aspect for its reception, any spare corner in 
an out-house will do—east, west, north, or south, it is quite 
immaterial. Having selected a convenient place, build a 
pen about five feet high, ten feet long, and three feet deep; 
at each end fix shelves a foot deep, and about a foot apart, 
placing a division in the centre of each, which will give two 
nesting places on every shelf. These should be supplied with 
loose boxes about nine inches square, and three inches deep. 
In the blank spaces between the rows of shelves, and ‘at the 
back of the pen, fit up about a dozen rests for the birds to 
perch upon, of any description, according to fancy. The old- 
fashioned triangular shape is as good as any. A pen of this 
size will hold ten pairs of birds comfortably. The aperture 
for egress and ingress may be put in the most convenient 
place, and should be fitted with a bolting wire to prevent 
the birds getting out at will. 
Next select your birds. If you want good ones, I would 
recommend the purchase of old birds to breed from. Pay a 
visit to any genuine fancier, who keeps birds for the love of 
them, and not entirely for profit. I never found such a one 
that was not pleased to show his birds, and to tell the dis- 
tances the different birds had flown, together with their 
pedigree, and every particular connected with them. Select 
a pair to your fancy, and if for sale, do not be to ashade as 
to price. Visit another fancier in like manner. Cut the 
birds down and cross-pair them, by which means you will 
avoid in-breeding, and stand a fair chance of getting good 
young ones, but this will by no means bea certainty. There 
cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose that because 
you mate good old birds the young produced will; as a mat- 
ter of necesity, be good also. I have mated first-class birds 
for homing purposes, and the young produced have been 
worthless. If your birds do not ‘‘hit,’? you must change 
the old ones till they do, otherwise you will never have a 
pen of good Antwerps, as unless the birds possess the hom- 
ing faculty to an average degree, they are not fair repre- 
sentatives of the breed, although they may bave all the out- 
ward points required in a good bird. You may breed any 
color; but Dun, Red Chequer, Blue, and Blue Chequer, are 
the only colors recognized by standard breeders. I prefer 
a pen of birds to match in color, and if well matched it is 
difficult to decide which color is the most attractive. The 


FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
Light Duns, with bright red bars on the wings, and red 
necks, are certainly as handsome as any; Light Blues, with 
food black bars on the wings and tail, and rich metallic 
lustre on the neck, are also very pretty. 
When you wish to try your young birds, do not commence 
with them too early, let them be from four to five months 
old; they may then be thrown up a mile or two from home, 
"and it will soon be seen which are likely to make good hom- 
ing birds. If, when tossed up, a bird hangs about the place 
where it is loosed, flying low, and without spirit, ultimately 
dropping upon some convenient building, or with other 
birds, condemn it at once, and should it return home, kill it 
without hesitation, however handsome it may be; if, on the 
contrary, the bird when tossed from the hand gets well up 
in the air, ranging wide, and flying resolutely, not taking 
notice of any birds that may be put up to it, there is every 
probability, if properly trained, that it will make a good 
bird. 
I find it an excellent plan to clean out my birds’ pens _ 
daily; it occupies but a few minutes, if a scraper similar to 
those used by pig-killers be kept for the purpose. Keep a 
barrel of sand near the pen, and after cleaning sprinkle a 
few handfuls on the bottom, and at the front of the nesting 
places, this gives the pen a neat appearance, and conduces 
much to to the comfort of the birds. Exercise your birds 
once daily—morning is the best time—and they will soar as 
high as Tumblers, flying from twenty to fifty minutes, and 
sometimes much longer; when they alight allow a little time 
for gritting, and to run the building, then whistle them in 
and feed, giving just as much as they will pick up freely ; 
feed again about four o’clock, giving clean water daily. By 
these means your birds will be kept in constant health, and 
from their lively disposition and neat appearance will be a 
source of constant pleasure and amusement.—Journal of Hor- 
ticulture. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
A GOOD REMARK. 
WueEn I was at the Buffalo Show, January last, I noticed 
that a great many birds were taken sick from placing their 
food upon the sawdust which covered the bottoms of their 
coops, so that in picking up the food they would also take 
up some of the sawdust with it. I have also seen some of 
the water vessels half filled with sawdust, which, making 
the water sour, caused the birds to sicken and die. I have 
lost valuable birds from these causes, and have seen three 
other birds that have died frum the same cause. I have re- 
ceived letters from other parties telling me the same story. 
From my little experience, I think gravel would be best for 
that purpose, because gravel will help to keep the birds in 
good health, and the difference in price would be very little. 
Another great mistake is by putting Pouters and Fantails 
in an ordinary pigeon coop, as you, my dear Editor, will 
admit that a Pouter and a Fantail require more room than 
an ordinary-sized pigeon. For instance: I took a fine 
pair of White Calcuttas and a fine pair of Black Fantails to 
the show, and received only a second premium for them, 
whilst two inferior birds took first premiums. Mr. Cryer, 
our judge, said, after looking them over again, that mine 
was the best, and Mr. Ball, of Buffalo, whose birds took the 
premium over mine, said the same thing, that my Calcuttas 
and Black Fantails ought to have taken the first premium. 
MITCHELL, ONT. H. GorBEL. 
