Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/719

 WOMAN'S PETS This section of Every Woman's Encyclopedia will prove to be of great interest to women, and will contain practical and authoritative articles on : Prize Dogs Lap Dogs Dogs* Points Dogs' Clothes Sporting Dogs How to Exhibit Dogs Cats : Good and Bad Points Cat Fanciers Small Cage Birds Pigeons The Diseases of Pels Aviaries Parrots Children's Pets Uncommon Pets Food for Pets How to 'Peach Tricks Gold Fish ^ etc.^ etc. FAHCY PIGEONS AS PETS Written and Illustrated by R J. S. CHATTERTON Specialist Breeder and yitd^e of Poultry, Pigeons and Cage Birds ; yndge at the " Grand International Shoii; Cryilal Palace," Membrt Sotiite des Aviculteurs Fiancais ; Vice-President Poultry Club-; Hon. Sec. Y'okohatna Club; on the Committee o/ Middlesex Colnmbarian Society ; ' Indian GatTte Club, etc., etc. The Original ** Broad-tailed Shakers ''—The Good Points of Fantails— The Shape of the Tail- Its Correct Carriage — The Popular White Fantail— Other Varieties— Blues and Blacks — Saddles — Reds and Yellows /^NE of the most ancient varieties of fancy pigeons is the fantail, which has now been bred for a great number of years. It is generally sup- posed that fantail pigeons were first imported into this country from India. They were originally called " broad - tailed shakers," partly because of their large tails, which contain from 26 to 36 feathers, and partly because of their frequent shaking or tremu- lous mption of the head and neck. The fantail is a very popular vari- ety, both with breeders of fancy pigeons for exhi- bition and with those who only keep a few pigeons for ornament and their own amuse- ment. In most country houses where pigeons are w^^ White fantail pigeon. This variety is the most popular and nearest to perfection in exhibition points. Note the curious position of the head, an important point in the breed kept, one will, as a rule, find some fantails strutting about the lawn or courtyard. The old coaching hos- telries usually pos- sessed some of this variety. As a rule, fantails are of a quiet and tame disposition, and make very charming pets for a lady. They are healthy birds and of good constitu- tion, and not at all difficult to keep. They are prolific, also, and live for a number of years. The fantail should be small and compact in form, and is es.sen- tially a "quality " pigeon. The head should be small and fine, long rather than round, the beak should be of medium size and neat, the wattle on the beak very small and neat and covered with a white powder.