The Opelousas courier., 1886-04-17
PARTIAL TO PIGEONS.
Persons who Find Diversion
i'm Training the Birds.
Peouliarities of Pigeons, and Prices Paid
for the Best Varieties

Leading pigeon f~anciers say that there
is increased interest in the raising of pig
cons, particularly among the ladies, who
care for them at odd moments at home
and obtain from the sale of the birds con-
siderable pin-money. Mr.. Benton Hank
ms, of New Jersey, who is one of the
best-known pigeon f%anciers of this coun-
try, and whose loft of nearly 500 birds
includes some of the handsomest and
most valuable in the world, says:
every one of my birds knows me,
and whenever I enter the loft they flock
around. Most people have the idea that
pigeons must be bred in the dark. This
is not the case, for it makes them wild.
All mine are bred in the light, in glass
boxes painted white, about six by eight
inches in size, and with hay inside for
the nest. A curious fact | have noticed
about pigeons is their loyalty to each
other. Let a pair be once mated and
they will never forsake one another while
alive. How long do they live? Twelve
years, and keep up ifheir full vigor for
that period. We feed them on Canada
peas, wheat, cracked corn and occasion
ally a little hempseed. The weight Of a
pigeon varies from three or four ounces
to several pounds. The biggest figure I
have heard that was paid for a pair of
pigeons in this country was $500. 1t
was given for a pair of carrier pigeons"
Twill you tell me something about the
different kinds of pigeons?" DIR. McCook,
a noted lover of the bird, was asked.
'Any one having owned pigeons of
any kind will know what is meant by
common pigeons. They are not of any
distinct breed or color. There are but
very few common pigeons now in which
some traces of the higher classes cannot
be detected. At the same time I believe
that were a flock of the so-called common
pigeons kept entirely to themselves for a
number of years, color-markings and
other characteristics of the higher classes
would entirely disappear and the birds
would be more likely to resemble in color
and shape those they originally came
from-the Blue Rocks. Next to a com
mon pigeon, perhaps the best known, at
least by name, is the Homing Antwerp,
which is the carrier pigeon, SO called.
It is the bird known to make long flights.
The fan-tails arc special favorites. The
white ones are the most common and
easiest to breed, but they are also to be
had in black, brown, blue, red, and yel-
low. The two latter are rare, and easily
bring from $40 to $50 a pair. Fans,
with fowl feathers, notified orcheckered,
are not of much value. No breed Of
pigeons has SO many varieties and sub
varieties as the tumbler pigeons, nor i
there a variety SO well-known that is az
yet so little understood by pigeon breed
ers. Many who own them expect then
to perform, whether the birds are given
chance or not. Usually they are KEEP
with a lot of other birds and are 1oWr
with them. There are also many tum
blers who do not tumble at all. All o.
the short-faced varieties are not supposed
to be performers, although / have seel
some tumble very well. Pouters are tn
first selection of many prominent pigeon
d f~anciers. and rarely is this bird entirel,
abandoned for other varieties. Mr.
Becker, of Baltimore, who is an enthusi
astic breeder Of pouters, has at presen
probably the best birds of that variety il
the country. They are somewhat diff
cult to breed, and good ones always de
mand high prices. Fifty dollars for
pair of frst-class birds would not be Ell
trayagant in this country, and in Eng
land perhaps the same birds would brin
twice that amount and more. ! remen
Der that Mr.. Schell, of Brooklyn, ha
ono he refused $3.50 for. They can b
, had in pure white, black, red, yelio'
and Isabella.-Ney York Mail and BIZ
: press.