PIGEON NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 14624, 21 July 1911, Page 3

PIGEON NOTES.

[By THB AHTWSKr.j Question! relating to pigeon-breeding, etc., requiring answer must be eent to "Antwerp, ' core of this office, not later than noon of Thursday, in order to secure attention tie same week. The show season is now nearly over for anotber year. The Dunedin Show, to be held early next month, is the last. Although the actual numbe.s of entries are not made up yet, I hear that there is an increase in all classes. On> is pleased to see so many of our country breeders sending along their birds. Mr Pom, of Winton, informs me ho is sending up a .team of about 20, and as he keeps several varieties his entry should assist some of the classes. Fantails should make a nice show in themselves. J. Rawson is sending several from Maheno, and as this variety i.-, a favorite down lnvercargill way we should see good competition this year. , Jacobins, another of the old favorites which of late years have fallen off, are also to be well represented, especially -in yellows and reds. Some of the newer varieties have been in vogue this last few years, but one ia pleased to see the older varieties once again taking their place in the affections of fanciers, and the ladies can always be seen admiring the Jacobin or Fantail. Their peculiar feathering appeals to the gentler sexf Nelson and Hastings shows wero both held in the eary part of this present month. Both these shows cater largely for pigeons. This .'ear a greater interest was manifested in them from the fact that Mr J. Noble, of Sydney, was judging. At Nelson I was pleased to see Mr Geo. M'Quarrie again win the Short-face Tumbler cup. This fine old fancier, who is the father of the pigeon fancy in New Zealand, also won the Show Homer special, beating several birds Mr Bulhck, of Hastings, had imported. Short-faco Tumblers, African Owls, and Magpies were the best-filled classes. Mr Goer, of Wellington. was very successful both in the "Frill" classes and Magpies. The Fraser brothers bad a nice team up from Ghristchmch, especially in Tumblers and Magpies, Mr Wm. Praser winning the Long-faced Tumbler special with a ntce- black self. Mr A biers, of Wellington, so well known to most oi us as j an exhibitor of Pouters and Short-faces, had j on show several nice Orientals, including I Turbiteens, Blondinettes, and Satincties. i These varieties do not seem'to claim the ;it- ; tention they deserve. Certainly they arc j bard to breed true to markings, but when ; anything near perfect their bright colors and j the contra3t of color justly entitle Them to j be called the "flowers of the picgon fancy." j Hastings show had good classes in Dra- \ goons. Show Homers, Fantails, Frills, and j Magpies. Mr Walker, of Aijckland, took the big majority of the prizes. Ho had some novelties en show in the way of Ground Tumblers and Helmets, and had also a nice English Owl pennsd, which, since its arrival in New Zealand, has had an uubeaten re- ; cord. Mr Greenside had a nice team of [ Africans and Magpies up from Wellington. 1 —Points for Breeding Season. — i

As the breeding season is almost on us, a few general turns thereon may be of use to some of our younger fanciers. In the first place one is apt to overcrowd his iot't. Keep just the number of pairs it will comfortably hold Don't overcrowd. Thatj extra pair you want to squeeze in may cause ail the tro-ible and tpoil your whole season.

Keep a stud book in which to enter a strict record of the results obtained from each pair, noting particularly whether the offspring improve or deteriorate from the parent birds. This is absolutely essential to get the best results from your mating neit season.

Never mate up birds showing the same defects, however well bred, as they are almost sure to accentuate the same defect m their offspring. Don't pump the vitality out of your stock birds by both early and fate breeding, or by forcing .the hen to lay again by placing her eggs under feeders and giving her nothing in exchange. One cannot outrage Nature in this way without her being revenged in return. Far better to Lave a few good, strong, healthy, vigorous youngsters with their parents in good condition at the end of the season than to have a much greater number of we-jkhr, sickly sauabs, and the old pair thoroughly done up and unable to have a good moult. I find from August till December or January quite long enough for breeding. Quality, not quantity, is what is van ted. Discard all weakly and sickly specimens, and on no account breed from ailing birds. A sickly bird will invariably breed sickly, puny youngsters. One is far better to kill »ny sickly birds, if unable to cure them, as their room is better than their company, and there will be more feed left for the jest. -,•