PIGEON PARAGRAPHS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 76, 6 May 1914, Page 2

PIGEON PARAGRAPHS.

(By "JACOBIN.")

Entries for the show of the Christchurch Pigeon Club, the Canterbury Flying Club, and the Canterbury Poultry Society, close to-night at the Pigeon Club's rooms, 99 Gloucester Street. Schedules and entry forms and air information will, ■of course, be available there.

The any other variety class at the show promises to''provide one of the best competitions seen in Christehurch for mauy years. There will be included in same at least three breeds not previously seen at a show in this city — at least, at.a public; show —and one of these varieties I have never myself seen yet, and it is a particularly handsome breed of pigeon, too, judging by all accounts. Not one of the modern breeds| but one which has been in existence for centuries, and which is just now beginning to make its mark in public opinion. If these birds reach the show fit and well, I am sure they will create. a large amount of interest.

The Rev. E. llcpworth-Thwai tes, one the most earnest of fanciers in England, and a man who devotes a lot of time to interesting experiments in the higher branches of pigeon culture, has an article on English "Pigeons" in which he refers to the struggle now being made to secure the Almond Fantail. One can readily imagine that such a bird, if it is ever produced (and I do not doubt the ultimate success of this earnest breeder's efforts) will be most strikingly beautiful, the glorious combination of white, buff, and black on a bird with the feather properties of a Fantail would be indeed 'wonderful.

The same writer mentions a strange feature about almond breeding, in. the direction of the produteion of many birds with pink and quite blind eyes. This feature generally accompanies birds with no colour property in their feathering, and it is also a well-known fact that short-faced almond breeders have frequent experience of the same bother. .Just what the cause is, and why it should affect the off-shoots of almond colouring- in so strange a fashion is, so far as I know, one of the things in the breeding of high-class pigeons which are '' not understood. \.'i

: When I was a good deal younger in the fancy, I thought what a beautiful fancy pigeon a pure white short-faced Tumbler would be. I secured a flue start in the direction from Mr G. A. Macquarie, of Nelson, but I quickly found that progress that way towards my aim was barred. For the very same reason as is mentioned above, the pink and blind eyes. Mr Macquarie had told me how it would be, butl, in the keenness of youth, had to prove it myself, ; ■ .-

How strange a thing it is that, the Barb has practically disappeared from our New Zealand shows. A real classic breed, mentioned by writers hundreds of years ago, it seems to have fallen very far from the pinnacle of popularity, on which it stood, say, 50 or even 25 years ago, in the show schedules of Great tain. And in this country we very seldom hear of a good Barb at all. 1 fear the craze for the newer breeds has driven out many of the old veteran breeds of fancy pigeons. There is no feature in the standard of a Barb that is at all likely, to be capable of improvement in the "hands of the " cross-

matcher." It is an old. time classic pigeon, with many beauties of its own. and its departure from our New Zealand shows can only be regretted.

A Pouter, with the reputation of being about the best youngster produced in his vear in the United Kingdom, has just disappeared on the voyage from England to America. Some body apparently had stolen him, but the most careful search of the ship failed to find him anywhere. It is thought that the thief must have thrown him overboard when it was found that his loss had causod such a commotion. It is hard luck for the new owner, but the loss will be materially reduced by the fact that the bird was insured for the voyage, and apparently the insurance covers part, at any rate, of the loss.

In olden times,it was quite a common thing for good birds to disappear whilst travelling from England to New Zealand, find Jiobart apparently had earned quite an unenviable reputation in this respect. Of course, with the growth of the use of the marking rings, such thefts and exchanges practically disappeared. Now that practically only brie ring of any particular number for any particular size in any one year is issued, it means that there is not so much chance of any changing, but of course in the days before this reform was.brought in the fancy in New Zealand suffered severely from such thefts.

The Rev. W. F. Luniley, now the secretary of the Pigeon Club in England, has just issued a "History of the Pigeon Marking Kings." Leaving out all the debatable stuff with which this history is crowded, the following facts remain, and they are of great interest to pigeon fanciers all over the world. (1) That the marking of pigeons prior to the breeding season of 18SS was done by stamping. : (2) That in 18S6 all clear-legged pigeons were ringed with an un- ; jointed metal ring. '• (2) That for some time after this, '. " feather-footed birds continued to ; be stamped on the flights as rv proof of age. j (4) That for the season !of 15'8.9 'it was decided "that all "young ~ birds, whether feather-legged or not," shall wear the Ring of the Marking .. Conference, and that stamping be abolished alto- • getlier."

The issuing of these Marking Conference rings, and their production to such a degree of excellence by Mr H. Allsop, has certainly- been a- boon indeed to the pigeon fancy. It is certainly one of the causes of the great interest that is taken in showing in'Englaud today, and it, of course, leads to a far greater number of birds shown, and on much'more equal terms, insomuch as at many of the best shows in England, classes are provided for old birds, for yearlings, and for youngsters. The ages, of course, in each instance, must be proved by the ring which the birds wear.