The Satinette (upper left), Bluette (lower left), and Blondinette (right), originated in Asia Minor centuries ago. They are among the most beautifully colored of pigeons. National Geographic Society there than a world's series in baseball, the Kentucky Derby, or a Harvard-Yale football game excites in the United States. Every village has its Homing-Pigeon club, and throughout the racing season thousands of birds are shipped to France and other adjoining countries each week for the fly back home. So keen is the interest in these races that some clubs now employ airplanes to carry their birds to the releasing station, thus reducing the time they are en route and thereby giving them additional strength for the flight. THE ORIGIN OF THE DOMESTIC PIGEON IS IN DOUBT Naturalists look for the original stock of all domesticated pigeons in some wild. variety, but they are not in accord as to whether it is the Stockdove (Columba anas) or the ledge-roosting Blue Rock Dove (Columba livia), varieties of which are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The more general view inclines to the latter, for when domesticated birds are bred promiscuously, without regard to type or color, their offspring will revert rapidly into birds of the type of the wild Blue Rock Dove. The love of pigeons is universal. It is older than the love of flowers, and certain varieties of pigeons shown to-day probably have been distinct in color and type characteristics longer than the most distinct varieties of any other domestic bird, flower, or highly bred animal now known. Common pigeons are found everywhere. They look after themselves, with only incidental attention from men, and while they are inhabitants of cities and smaller urban communities, their lives, in so far as selective breeding is concerned, vary not at all from the lives and existence of wild birds generally. This article deals only with the domesticated birds. PIGEON LOFTS ARE FOUND FROM CELLARS TO SKYSCRAPER ROOFS The house in which pigeons are kept is called a loft-a name probably derived from the fact that the Common pigeons usually nest in the highest parts of buildings. Lofts are of various kinds and sizes. In New York there are lofts on top of some of the tallest skyscrapers, but across the river, in Jersey City, a Racing Pigeon enthusiast for a time kept his birds in the basement and actually flew them from his cellar window. In Belgium many fanciers use the top story of their homes, and in England breeders utilize attic and outdoor lofts, as well as housetop lofts. The chief essentials of a loft are light, air, cleanliness, and plenty of room. It should be protected from drafts and secured against such natural enemies as rats and snakes. In the loft, the domestic life of pigeons is similar to that of men. The birds mate in pairs, and unless separated by man they will remain loyal until death. Unlike practically all other birds and contrary to an old superstition that they will not breed in February, they will breed the year round. No fancier, however, who is striving for improvement in his variety will permit his birds to breed continuously, as the parents are weakened thereby, resulting in defective young. To prevent this, the fancier usually mates his birds in February or March and separates them in July or August, keeping the cocks and hens in different lofts over the autumn and winter months. If satisfied with the results of his breeding operations in one season, a fancier may remate the same birds the next season. If not satisfied, he will change mates, but to be successful he must keep the broken pair separated; otherwise they will go back to each other. THE MALE PIGEON SELECTS THE When the birds are mated the male selects a nesting place and immediately drives his mate toward it. Both share in the work of building the nest, and the first egg is laid from 8 to 12 days after mating. Until this egg comes, the male bird never ceases in his attentions to his mate, and fights off any other male which approaches her. Pigeons lay but two eggs (sometimes only one), about 48 hours apart. The young, if all goes well, hatch 18 days after the second egg is laid, and reach full size in four weeks, when they are weaned. Before that time the mother lays another pair of eggs, and thus begins rearing a |