It is very rare to find a kit of Tipplers that remains within a 1/4-mile
radius of the loft, that is, if they do any kind of time. The small kit of
three to five encourages this "drift--return shuttling" and is highly
conducive to long times. The Rollers, of course, are not required to fly for
long times and a large kit of these encourages close range.
I was presented with a copy of 'Pigeon Fancier which is (or was) an American
pigeon monthly magazine. This is the October 1995 issue, double its usual
size and is a 'special' - devoted to the Domestic Flight I remember when
these special issues appeared fairly often, but they were always concerned
with the extremely popular breeds The trouble is, that when an entire
magazine is devoted to only one breed, it may not please the readers who
have no interest in that breed.
A two day event, first weekend each December. The 21 mile trip from
Sheffield seems to be a yearly pilgrimage. A vast number of show pigeons are
on display.
Wednesday 31, May 2,000-- I collected four tippler eggs, newly laid, from my
learned friend Martyn Lewis of Gleadless, Sheffield. they were from 2 of his
breeding pairs of his version of the Gordon Hughes strain. I instantly
packed them firmly, Sandwiched between layers of the Latex upholstery
foam--for shock absorbing.
During the 1930's the English imported a lot of eggs from Poland and Egypt.
The name of the country had to be stamped on each egg. They came packed in
flat crates between layers of straw. They sold at one penny each or 10 pence
for 12. Small eggs they were and were sold as pudding eggs.
It is written that a good and thrifty wife can make a meal fit for a king
from what a stupid and less thrifty wife would throw to the pigs, dogs and
fowls. By the same token, the best ingredients in the hands of a stupid cook
will be unfit for anything but the pigs, dogs and the fowls. Well!
When the day comes when every individual kit pigeon has to have it's own
separate form of management, we have created an intolerable task. At present
I have 55 high flying performing tumblers. It is absolutely essential that
they conform and respond to my own system of management.
Before we can start to use any working animals or working pigeons, we must
be able to control them. They must be trained and disciplined before they
are actually put to work.
The control of Tipplers and other so-called high flying varieties is like
money. A clever or lucky man may get it but it takes a very wise man to hold
onto it. A fortune may be squandered in 7 days.
I submit that there is a common link or relationship between Tipplers,
Rollers and several issues of flying Tumblers. I have said with monotonous
regularity that photographs of the several couspecifics do indicate an
overlapping of type. Many a Tippler looks like a Tumbler or Roller and vice
versa.
