PIGEON PARAGRAPHS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 35, 18 March 1914, Page 2

PIGEON PARAGRAPHS.

; (By "JACOBIN.")

The utility business, as it applies to the keeping of pigeons* gives every appearance of rapidly growing to considerable dimensions.;. ■ A gentleman !in Devonport, Auckland, has just imported a number of birds from a well-know#. Squab Eanch in California, America., These birds comprise White Kings, Carneaux, and Leghorn Bunts. The 1 Christchurch Pigeon Club executive ha& every hope that an entry will come from these lofts for the show at Christchurch in May.

The Shaftesbury Squab Ranch at Neiiv Brighton has also a further shipment' of high-class utility pigeons on the' water, from California. Included in:; this lot is also a pair of White Kings, which are said to be real giants of the, pigeon family.

A few pigeons from the Shaftesbury Squab Ranch will be shown (by special invitation, I understand) at the next meeting of the United Pigeon Fanciers' Club, and members of that club are to be congratulated on their chance of seeing them and having them explained by their owner.

Leghorn Bunts are a breed of pigeons with some peculiar characteristics of their own. They are very "henny " looking birds, carrying the erect tail and also throwing the head well back. They stand on legs of a, fairly good length, and are, of course, birds of considerable weight and size.

At the last meeting of the Christchurch Pigeon Club a club show was held for junior members. Two classes were allocated, one ttfeing for tumblers (any variety), and the other for birds of any other variety. The class for Tumblers was judged by M. W. B. M 'Kenzie, and the A.O.V. class by Mr W. Fraser. Really good classes were staged, and the awards were as follows:—Tumblers: First Black baldhead, M. Price; second Red Self, L. Suckling; third Black Self, L. Suckling. A.0.V.: First Jacobin, N. Fraser; second Crop,per, J. Waller; third Blondinette, N. Fraser.

The Baldhead, winner of the Tumbler class, was a very nice black, with good markings, and very well flighted. He possessed excellent style, carriage, and colour, with a very nick neck. He fails a shade in being a little bit downfaced, a fault which is rather common to this breed in Christchurch. The Bed Tumbler, second in this class, was also a nice cobby little pigeon,. with what will be a very nice roomy head when finished moulting. Fairly cobby in style, with a good neck and decent carriage, it was a very promising exhibit. The Black Tumbler (third) was a rather small pigeon, but nicely typed, and carrying a really nice coloured eye and cere, with a preity head-piece; a taking little bird altogether. There was also shown in this (class a very, niee yellow long-faced Tumbler, a fine roomy pigeon, possessing good carriage and nice , colour. He possesses-just a couple of white feathers which spoil him as a "self," and his head ( ijS just a shade"on the small side, considering the fine bold style of the bird. This class as a whole contained many pigeons well worthy of notice, outside of the actual winners.

In the A.O.Y. class, the Black Jacobin which won .is a i wonderfully nice pigeon, the possessor .of a great amount of feather, and carrying also a good wealth of mane, chain, and hood. The

carriage of this pigeon is also very attractive, and he will doubtless be a bad bird to beat in any class in which he may be shown this season. Second was a Bed Cropper hen, a really smart little pigeon, good crop, nicely set legs, and of grand carriage and style. Third was a blue-chequery-laced Blondinette, with a really head, but failing a shade in beak, which, however, is'nicely set. .The bird could do witjh more markings, is a nice one nevertheless. In this class were also some very nice Africans, and some fairly good Mag[pies, the whole collection being a really strong one for a junior competition. At the same Mr W. Fraser 1 gave his paper on long-faced Tumblers, >antl it proved to be a really comprehensive retrospect of the fancy for this breed of pigeons, since the earliest days of the fancy in Christchurch. Mr W. "Fraser mentioned the fact (already well known to several of us) that Christchurch .has for many years possessed Muffed Tumblers of the very highest quality as regards foot, feather, and general type. I hope to make further" reference to this really educational paper, probably next week. Mr F. Kibblewhite was in the chair at last week's meeting of the C.P.C., and members were pleased to see him sufficiently far recovered to be present, j The well-known Magpie lofts at Majoribanks Street, Wellington, possesses a fine array of young Magpies. It is specially strong in Beds and Yellows. And there are also a few most decidedly useful young Blacks. We shall see them in due course at the show of the C.P.C. in May next. The Wellington United Pigeon Club will hold their show this year in conjunction with the Wellington P.P. and C. Society. The dates are not definitely decided yet, but it will probably be early in July. One of the groups of M.C. Associatiaa championships will be ■competed for at this fixture, and com-, petition will be keen by; all accounts. The Maoriland Columbarian Association has allocated Group No. 1 of its championships to the Christchurch Pigeon Club. This group consists of ; the championships for the following i breeds:.—I.'Magpies (any colour). 2. Tumblers (LJ% C.L.). 3. Tumblers (L.F. Muffed). | Two or three members of the Christchurch Pigeon Club "Will be sending birds to Melbourne (and possibly to Adelaide) this year. There should be I really good competition at both these places. Adelaide is apparently possessed of some really good teams of African Owls and Oriental Frills, and it will be interesting to see how Christ- : ehurch birds compare with the birds from the home lofts. If any other members of .the C.P.C. would like their birds to have some competition in these quarters, Mr W. B. M 'Kenzie will be 1 glad to hear of them, in order to make early arrangements. The criticisms, of Mr S. F. Butterworth (one of England's most capable Dragoon judges) of the pigeons recently shown at the big show in New York, are really excellent, and they make ! very excellent reading in "Pigeons," 1 England. Mr Butterworth judged Dragoons at this show, specially going across from England for that purpose; To sum up his '' critique, " it appears that England can still show the way to America in most varieties of fancy [pigeons. This fact (of the Old Country's pre-eminence) I think was never really questioned /by the most thoughtful Americans, though the success of two American . fanciers at the i big show in the Crystal Palace last year led to a great amount of characteristically * 4 tall'' writing in some of America's pigeon journals.

The Canterbury Poultry Society has decided this year to hold a show in conjunction with the fixture arranged by the Christchurch Pigeon Club and the .Canterbury Flying Club. Mr Kobert Ash worth has been appointed show hon. secretary pf the Christchurch Pigeon Club, owing to the club's ordinary hon. secretary being set down to judge the Tumblers arid Magpies at the May show.