PIGEON NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 14784, 27 January 1912, Page 9

PIGEON NOTES.

[By The Antwerp.] Questions relating to pigeon-breeding, etc., requiring answer must be sent tn "Antwerp," care of this office, not later than no-in of Thursday, in older to secure attention the same week. Since last week's notes 1 have received the schedule of the Southland Pigeon, Canary, and Cage Bird Society's third Young Bird Show. This show is the first of our .manner shows, and is held on the 23th and 23th of February. They have a full chissiilcation in the piegon section and a nice list of special prizes, and with an experienced judge like Mr Jas. Ireland deserve a good entry ; so get your birds ready and send down a good team from Dune-din. i see they have still several special prizes to allocate, so possibly they may remember the "Fans" yet. This breed wants encouraging. Several new birds of this variety have come to New Zealand this last season, so w ; > should again see big classes in this ever-popular varietv.

Dunedin Summer Show follows next. Tt will be held on .March 20. so the local club are busy getting things in order. They also have a nice list of trophies, but are still open to receive others from lovers cf the "docs."

Christchurch Show will be held on March 28. I hear several of the Wellington birds are coming down to it, so I fancy it v. ill be tuk show of 1912 as far as summer shows gu. Several people have asked mc lately which is the best variety of pigeon to start with. .This is a question upon which no hard-and-fast answer can be given. Too little thought is given by fanciers as to which breed is most suitable for the part of the country in which they live, or to what room they ar> likely to have at their disposal. Long-faced Tumblers, the so-called boys' pigeons, do very well almost anywhere and under all normal conditions. I'hey are hardy, free breeders, and good natural feeders. They can be bad in such a variety of markings that one can get almost any color they fancy. If they are given reasonable room to exercise in, good gram given to them, and a, plentiful supply of grit and good clean water, they soon make themselves quite at home. Although so simple to keep and rear, as compared with some of the fanciers' varieties, they have many votaries amongst the older fanciers, and when bred to perfection command a ready sale at good prices, the record price paid for a pigeon at the last Crystal Palace Show being £2b for a Black Tumbler. If one has plenty of room, or can let. the birds ha\c partial liberty, Dragoons or Show Homers do nicely for commencing with. One has tn have room for them to keep them from getting too fat. If the Drngcoiio are kept in a small loft, where they have not too much room, they are apt to injure each other, being so pugnacious.

Magpies are another variety tbnl arc not ni'ich tiotibl*- i» a novice. Sometimes thi'y are inclined to lie rather wild, but with patience ihey sunn quieten down. Their elegant lines and their bright, clearcut mark-rigs make ihom gen<>ral favorites with the ladies. The- Fiirita.il also suits the beginner, but rnoirty lofts and flights are an absolute necessity with this variety. One requires a fair amount of time to keep thrni clean. They are rthvays favorites, and nothing looks nicer "than a well-kept loft of " Fans," their carriage and. action when walking tending to give them the proud look which "is only equalled but not excelled by the peacock. The Fantail, like the Jacobin, should not be kept in too exposed a position. The softness of a Jacobin's feathers will not stand high winds; in fact, any birds that have heavy, loose feathering do better in a warm, sheltered loft, where they will miss the cold wind;. The Dragoon or Show Homer, on the other hand, does best where it will get a g.;r<| co.kl wind, as this tightens up its plumage and hardens up its ceres and wattkv. The Muffed varieties are also easy to rear and keep in condition, but here <:gaiu cleanliness is a necessity, or else the Muffs will gt-t all danueicd, and nothing looks uglier than a MutFed bird which is dirty. The Norwich Cropper is one of the tamest of pigeons, ami is always on the move. They adapt themselves to almost any conditions, but, like all the cropped varieties, are apt to minor troubles with their crops; but very little experience soon shows one what is wrong, and their troubles are easily fi;:cd up. I would strongly impress upon anyone who is taking up pigeons to just take* one variety at a time, and do not overcrowd the loft. .Most of the troubles pigeons have are caused through overcrowding. Select the variety yon fancy, and which will suit your district and accommodation, and master it before yon add a second variety. With a smaller number of birds you will sooner learn to understand them. Let "finality, not quantity" be your motto, and remember that a fancier, on visiting your loft, would sooner see and handle one or two good birds than' several more or less mongrel specimens.