The Smerle

In order to understand any certain bird for breeding purposes it is most helpful to be able to recognize in that bird the proportions of the ancestral varieties in the bird.  In order to know this the scientific breeder must have a thorough knowledge of the several earlier varieties of pigeons used to breed the modern Homer.  A brief comment with illustrations of each of these varieties is given later on in short review.  The scientific breeder is urged to study further into this field by such further into this field by such means may be at his disposal.

The original varieties of pigeons used to breed the modern Homer are known by the following names: The Owl, the Cumulet, the Carrier, the Horseman, the Smerle, and the Dragoon.  These birds in their present characteristics of separate varieties are in some cases different than they were 200 years ago, and therefore to obtain knowledge of them in relationship to their influence upon the origin of the modern Homer they must be considered as they were in their earlier state.  

The following is a brief description of The Smerle.

The Smerle, which was possibly a breed of Turbit and French Owl ancestry, was a short faced bird somewhat like the modern Homer in appearance.  The Smerle was a flying bird and early written records tell of its use to carry messages back home when taken away and given its liberty.  The bird had a short chunky body with wide chest but smaller in frame than the modern Homer.

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