INTRODUCTION
His interest in the fancy points of poultry
and pigeons was kept alive for a time by the
nature of his work with Darwin; when the
scientific interest of variations in shape and
plumage had been exhausted they became trifles;
and he then devoted himself to the promotion
of utility poultry and utility pigeons. The
domestic fowl was to be encouraged for the
table and as a layer, without regard to external
points, save as indicative of breed. The only
pigeon in which he preserved his interest was
that which had been the hobby of his youthful
days, the Homer; but the bird which had been
his plaything as a boy was made to reveal valuable
uses by Tegetmeier in manhood. He did more
than anyone in the kingdom to open the eyes
of the public to the value of the services the
Homer could be made to give. During the
'seventies he was much before the public as the
organiser of great flights of birds from the Crystal
Palace. These public displays were regarded by
him simply as means to the end he had in view.
Knowing what Continental nations were doing
with the Homer in connection with military work,
his aim was to awaken general interest and to
persuade our own military authorities to make
similar use of the abundant material that was
ready to their hands; and he worked at the
business by public demonstration, by writing and
by lecture, with his usual tireless energy.
xi.
