Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-07-14
The Carrier Pigeon

ine Eng'sh carriers and horsenen pigeons in
separately connected, that describing one must also
describe the other Indeed believe the horsemen to be
the primitive stock and that English carrier !. the
effect of the high cultivation of former those points
oil excellence which the hncer highly prizes being
more highly developed in the carrier As consider the
horsemcn the original, will first draw attention to
them They appear have originally from Persia
aud also to have been bred extensively in Turkey AID
Egypt where they have been long used as mediums OF
communication. They fne noble birds being con
s'derably larger than the generality of pigeons Their
besk long and stout, AMI covered a, its base with
great quantity Of waffle wrinkcd *hi,ish-lookirg skin
or in other words, development of the nose;
the eyes are so surrounded with broad circle OF the
same Appearance called tie Sere The neck /, LONG and
rather bent the feathers often opening ,,le in front or
the head, exposing small streak of skin The chest
IS very broad aud iGl, the shoulders wdc the bend T
the wings stands rather out from the sides; the legs and
feet very Stout the tail and pnion feathers are rahe
short for the sizn Of the bird the former being carried
somewhat elevated.
The English carrier differs from this in the greater de-
Telopeht OF the fancy points which iaucers lay great
stress, End accordiog TO their merits this espect are
they OF proportiouae value The beak must be lone
thick ana straight; the waffle large, high and Iraur y
slightly forward The old snciers admired ir most when
o blscklsh lint, the round the ewes shonId he
bryod even, ond round which is termed rose eve. II,
uneven it IS called puch cred which is great defect
The bead Is long, harrow and Cat the top; the color of
the iris o bright graSely red. The neck mus; be
long, thn ana without bead they should be broad across
the back but small in the The pinon flea thers OF
the wings u also the tall should be long and not
carried up, consequently they are much more
looking birds than the horseen; color they are mostly
black or dun-the dues generally have the bes, heads
The ho'Semen are ofvar colOrs black white blue
pied predominating.
Having described the extremes il will show their
differences but pigeons be met with of all the
various intermediate grades If kept in health by exer-
else or judeoGs feeding they good breeders if not
they become idle and Inferior Ii kept for fying
heY must be trained young and kept constant practice
or the best will prove but indifferent houing birds
though, from their great value fancy birds they are
but little town, and consequently become fat heavy
and unfi; to fy.
have had the large white horsemeu or as thew are
called in France, the swan.necked EN ptaus that could
scarcely rise eight feet from the ground but the youp
while in training flew with astonishing rnpidity and
end WELL They would also outstrip NV Autwerps
in homing eight or ten miles, though they appeared to
have great di5cuty in first starting of seeming almost
unable 10 rise, till they got good swing when they wen,
along in fine syie having much the appearance OF wild
ducks while flying in the air.
The dragoou pigeon may be considered as an infer or
variety OF carrier OF horsenen from which they
probably cross. They have the properties as the
carrier, but not so fully developed they are smaller
more active aud swer for short journeys They OF
various colors, but tie blues esteemed. They
wild birds, but excellent breeders and nurses so
much they esteemed this account that they ara
frequently kept nurses for the large fancy p-
geons, and as they large aud eshy, their young are
excellent Tor the table Shear drsgoon is the name for
those OF this variety a have long straight beaks and
heads without much waffle.
Dragons the variety mostly used for iyiur be-
fore the introduction of the Antwerp; many persons still
prefer them, aud have many extraordinary accounts
on record OF their performances All these varieties have
large. soft beAks, while young; the waffle grows, sud
continues to increase for year or two
P6uting horsemen cross between the peuter p-
geon and the horsemen dragoon. They are ne large
birds very active and merry good flyers and excellent
breeders being well adapted for general purposes aud
not shy the dragoon they would be a good farm
stock
| Skinnums are cross between the common tumblers
and dragons Tbey good flyers, and much used in
London hut In other respects better than the other p
geons, which they much resembe.-Poultry Chronicle.