This antiquarian volume contains a complete guide to breeding pigeons, and includes information on strains, pedigee breeding, eggs, selection, cross-breeding, and much more. Written in clear, plain language and full of handy tips and useful information, this timeless text will be of considerable utility to the modern breeder, and would make for a wonderful addition to collections of related literature. The chapters of this book include: 'A Tribute to the Novice Fancier', 'Male and Female Strains', 'The Problem of Inbreeding', 'Starting a Strain', 'The Male Strain', 'The Mysterious 'Nicking Factor'', 'The Producer Hen', 'Classic Pedigree Breeding', 'Perfection of the Egg', 'The Female Line', etcetera. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly hard to come by and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern edition - complete with a new introduction on pigeons.

"Pigeons and man enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship dating back to Ancient Egypt and beyond. The birds have served their human keepers as messengers, companions, and extraordinary athletes. They have delivered messages that turned the tide of financial affairs and diverted the course of war. Some birds have even been decorated for their battlefield heroism. Pigeon racing calls upon the birds' remarkable homing abilities, speed, and endurance. These impressive abilities are refined through selective breeding and progressive training programs that become a consuming pastime for pigeon 'fanciers.' Pigeon Racing offers a broad-based introduction to pigeon husbandry, health, breeding, and competition for the novice enthusiast ... The text includes information on loft design and outfitting, common health problems, and basic training. It explores race formats and administration and explains the intricacies of timing. The extensive glossary serves as an introduction to the pigeon-racing vernacular. Racing pigeons are not the feral birds you see perched on power lines and rooftops. They are marathon fliers, relying on their innate sense of direction and heart to achieve remarkable results."--Publisher's description.

They have been worshipped as fertility goddesses and revered as symbols of peace. Domesticated since the dawn of humankind, they have been crucial to wartime communications for every major historical superpower from ancient Egypt to the United States and are credited with saving thousands of lives. One delivered the results of the first Olympics in 776 BC and another brought the news of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo more than 2500 years later. Charles Darwin relied heavily upon them to help formulate and support his theory of evolution. Yet today the pigeon is reviled as a rat with wings. How did we come to misunderstand one of humanity's most steadfast companions?In Pigeons, Andrew D. Blechman travels across the United States and Europe in a quest to chronicle the bird's transformation from beloved friend to feathered outlaw.