11 r, 1'K.KOXS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



instances where ;i cock would approach a crouching hen, and 

 by being overcome by nervous action, go backwards, across 

 an entire loft floor. I have heard of an English cock that 

 \\a> i \\elve years old before he fertilized, and I, myself, have 

 had many that were absolutely useless, until their second or 

 third year. 



In cases of this kind, and with any pair that are not tried 

 and true breeders, it is a good idea to cut the tails of both 

 cock and hen. I trim the hen with a circular trim, say two 

 inches long, taking care to cut the lower tail feathers very 

 close to the rump. The cock's tails I leave much longer, cut- 

 ting both sides and merely a fraction of the top, as my ex- 

 perience has been that this gives them a better chance to 

 maintain their balance. 



Speaking further of cutting, I would give as a rule always 

 to be remembered, never cut a fantail's wing. If it pinches its 

 tail with its wings, cut the tail rather than the w r ings. A 

 high-styled bird depends very largely on its wings to keep 

 its balance, and an overstyled bird without the help of its 

 flights, which it drops to the floor to steady itself, is like a 

 man with a pair of legs, but no feet. This is a very crude 

 simile, but a true one. 



BOOTED FANTAILS. 



There are also booted fans and plenty of them in this coun- 

 try ; but they cannot be called popular. Year by year, fewer 

 of the large shows make classes for them. Most of them are 

 very coarse, and with bad tails, often large in spread, but 

 very irregular. Booted fans come in all colors; but I do not 

 think they will ever get a hold on popular favor. 



BLUE FANTAILS. 



I think that next to whites, the blues have attained near- 

 est perfection, that is, taking them as a whole. If we go 



