FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
ported eggs (three dozen) hatched 83 per cent., although the 
chickens proved to be worthless. From the twelve duck eggs 
and fifty-five hen’s eggs received from Mr. J. K. Fowler, of 
Aylesbury, England, this season, thirteen were spoiled by a 
hen leaving her nest, and I succeeded in hatching six ducks 
and twenty chickens from the remaining eggs, besides six 
chickens found dead in the shell. They were not greased. 
It is well known that air is essential to animal life, and for 
this reason the shell of an egg is supplied with numerous 
pores through which air is supplied. Of course grease 
closes the pores and excludes the air, and life becomes ex- 
tinct. After the chickens are hatched, in order to destroy 
lice on the hen and prevent them from being conveyed to 
the chickens, it is frequently beneficial to grease both hen 
and chickens; but if hens are lousy while sitting, destroy 
the vermin by some other means. J. Y. BICKNELL, 
WESTMORELAND, N. Y., August 19th, 1874. 

— Pee 

A STRICTLY moral (?) fancier is afraid the Tilt-on Beecher 
will injure the sale of his *‘ Plymouth” rocks, and says they 
are now like the ‘‘ mutual friend ’’—they’re Moulton (Moult- 
ing). Don’t suppose in winter he would give his fowls warm 
water for fear some Hen-re-ward Be-cheer-ful enough to lay 
addled eggs. Doubtless this man parts his hair in the 
middle, and in doing it runs the comb through all the brains 
G. O. B. 
he has, ‘‘and yet he is not happy.” 





















Pigeon Department. 
SNELLS, ETC. 
Mr. Epiror: In a late number of the Journal there was 
an article on Snells, some parts of which are in my opinion 
incorrect. 
That it, together with the Nun, was produced in Germany 
is not doubted; but that it was not produced (as the writer 
states it evidently was) from the same forefathers is appa- 
rent,—the undegenerated Snell not being a Toy but a 
Tumbler bred to markings. Most fanciers, however, ne- 
glected every property except feather, hence the common 
Snell of to-day is nothing more than a Toy. Helmet Tum- 
blers are yet seen oceasionally. On the other hand a Nun, 
bred to the highest standard, is not nor never was else than 
a Toy. How, then, the same parentage? 
The writer, Dr..W. P. Morgan, then states that ‘any 
one familiar with markings can, in a few years, produce 
Breasters, Magpies, Swallows, Nuns, Snells, &., at will”’ 
(the italics are not his but mine), and then proceeds to as- 
sure us that ‘‘a Magpie, for instance, is but a Nun which 
has transferred the black from the wings to the back and 
~breast ;” but allow me to ask whether he has ever merely 
transferred that black? I might here remark that a Mag- 
pie is also of Tumbler origin, and differs from a Nun not 
only in color but also in build. My reason for emphasizing 
at will is this: the Germans produce new varieties of Toys 



549 
by putting a number of hens, of various breeds, in a loft 
with male birds of other breeds (thus having no male and 
female of the same variety), and allow them to mate as 
their inclination tends. 
As your correspondent says. he has seen ‘‘ Nuns, Snells 
(with and without colored flights), Spots, Breasters, Moor- 
caps, Death’s Heads, &c., that were produced from the same 
strain of birds,’ he will of course not object, pro bono 
publico, to give the foundation of that truly wonderful 
strain. What he gives as an explanation (that it is ‘in the 
same manner as you have seen Turbits bred from Owls, 
Caps and all, and vice versa’) does not satisfy me, at least, 
as breeding for color is quite another matter to breeding 
caps and plain heads out of one pair; but Owls and Turbits 
differ in far more important points than as to caps, in fact 
there are plain head Turbits, and a pair is, or was several 
months since, in this city. 
In reference to the statement that ‘‘a Swallow or Snell 
can be transmogrified into a Snell or Swallow,” I would ask 
how a Snell, which is a clean legged bird, can be transformed 
into a heavy booted bird vastly different in carriage, form, 
and markings ? 
W. ATLEE BURPEE. 
PHILADELPHIA, August 8th, 1874. 
FEEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF 
PIGEONS. 
‘“HAviInG spoken of the food itself, we would strongly 
advise that it be given always from a hopper. Various 
patterns are in use, the principle being the same in all; but 
the best in our opinion is the one we have had made and in 
use for years, and which is shown in the figure. It is made so 
that the top slants and overhangs the feeding-trough, and is 
also furnished with « wire above the ridge, in order to pre- 
vent the food being soiled by birds perching upon it. The 
feeding-trough extends all round, and this is equally impor- 
tant in a large loft, as many birds are spiteful (this is especi- 
ally the case when sitting or feeding young ones) and will 
not allow others to feed near them. If there be but one 























































































h 
ims 
TTT 


















———— = 
SS = 
SE ——=_ 
FEEDING TROUGH FOR PIGEONS. 
small place at which to feed, such a bird appears to take a 
pride in standing there, and driving away all others; and 
very often a hen bird coming to feed in a weak state (either 
just before laying, or after, or before hatching) has to be 
content with a very scanty meal, when she more than ever 
requires an amplediet. Especially if a hen is feeding young 
ones, she is thus prevented from eating nearly as much as 
she needs, and would have taken were she unmolested. All 
this is prevented by having the feeding-trough extend all 
» 
