THE RACING PIGEON.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 79, 3 April 1928, Page 16

THE RACING PIGEON.

BELGIAN STANDARD. BREEDING CHAMPION'S. THE MAGGIE PIGEOX.

With the approach of the show season it will be of interest to intending exhibitors of racing pigeons to know that thei e is a definite show standard accepted by French and Belgian clubs and formu lated by the International Conference or French and Belgian experts. This standard was arrived at with the assistance of racing experts and prominent veterinary surgeons, and though it has not bepn accepted bv the English clubs a reference to it will show that the head and the pectoral muscles receive the highest number of points. The major points are given to the frame of the chest and back, and these, in conjunction with the pectoral muscles, denote the care that was taken in allocating the points for a standard to suit a typical racing pigeon. " j

Speed being the main essential, it can be seen why the points were centred around the pectoral muscles, breast and back, because the power of tfying fast depends upon the strong construction of these main features. The following are the points given:

1. Appearance and quality of feather.. JO Expression—head and eye "" n 3. Buck !.*""** 10 4. Hump and attachments .. lO Frame of the chest in <5. l'ectoral muscles i-, 7. Breastbone r K. Buck fork 0. Wing - 10. Under wing 1(1

Total — The majority of the English judges do not care for a bird that is very deep in the keel preferring a medium-sized pigeon in hard condition, sound in colour, and with a perfect head and intelligent eye. ° Breeding Champions. The majority of fanciers naturally breed from the winning birds and by mating the best racers together, and i"t stands to reason that if this process is carried on for a few seasons there must be line-breeding, or the breeding of related birds. The mating of unrelated birds, or cross-breeding, is quite sound: in fact, it would be safe to presume that the majority of the Auckland lofts are based upon a number of more or less unrelated strains. But as the season* progress, and a number of stock have been produced from the long-distance winners they must, unless mated to fresh blood, be mated to birds of their own family.

It is not wise to continue to breed from the same champion pair year after year, for the reason that the'older the pair become the less chance there is of producing superior stock. The leading English breeders prefer to mate the grandsire to grand-daughter and grandson to grand-dain, and mating the progeny from these two matings together the following season. This is linebreeding, as adopted by breeders in other animals and birds, such as bloodstock, poultry, etc.

Thus it is that with one pair of really good birds a fancier can establish a loft of pedigreed birds, and by the judicious introduction of an odd racer containing the same strain every few seasons the purity and strength of the strain can be maintained.

Leaving the birds to mate of their own free will may produce good birds; that not denied, for the average fancier eliminates the poor racers; btft it is breeding without a system, and though the strain will certainly improve and evolve into a first-class loft of birds, it is done by retaining the best racers, which in a few yeears prove to be of a certain line. Thus is unconsciously followed.

On the other hand, by keeping a close record of the performance and pedigree of each bird the degree of relationship is quickly established, and the progeny of any particular pair can be noted down It may be found that the infusion of a certain strength of blood of a particular bird may have a marked effect ujion the speed, hence it is that fanciers who practise line-breeding know exactly the blood lines of each bird and can at any period alter the matings to give the required effect. |

The Magpie Pigeon. This handsome variety has been the subject of much discussion in England (luring the past few years, and the standard has been altered several times until the present standard calls for a bird that is long and fine in the head and beak and of greater fineness in body and type. It is named after the Engli'sh wild bird, the magpie, which, however, is of a distinct species. The colouring is most commonly met with in a body colour of black or red, with the head and neck of a similar colour, and neatly divided from the ground colour of pure white. A loft of magpie pigeons gives a pretty if somewhat starting effect, due to the sharp features and keen eye of the variety, and a flock in flight, being of the same well-defined marking, gives a smart appearance as they wheel around. This variety has several keen sup- I porters in Auckland, but the majority of' the prizes have been won by the magnificent specimens bred by Mr. N. Hanson, of 36, Onslow Rpad, Epsom, who has taken infinite trouble in importing the very best blood from the Old Country. [ His strain is noted for the deep colour and fine head, and is quite distinct from the old type, which had a shorter and more stout beak and body. The 1928 show, to be held early in June, should see several fine specimens of the magpie benched for inspection. Local Club Jottings. The Barker strain in the loft of Mr. E. Euseden (Northern Club) has produced two winners during the past three weeks, and both these birds are descendants of the famous Coster-Barkers, bred by Mr. P. Coster, of Atarangi Avenue, Green Lane. No other fancier in Auckland has handled this strain # witli such success, and the present representatives of the' family in this pioheer fancier's loft are very typical of the original Barker type.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. MISS B.M. (Hamilton). —You have, my written reply. I am afraid some fancier lias been joking. You certainly cannot race fantails. No doubt you could if a fantail racing club was started, but it would be the first of its kind. How do pigeons race to Christchurch and back ? They do not race to, but from, and are sent in baskets bv rail. J WHITE HOMER (Mt. Roskill).—The white variety was first bred in Auckland by Mr. H. Crowhurst, Glen Road, Stanley Bay. Soffles, I believe, but he will no doubt supply details. They are just as good as and perhaps better than I several other strains.