i860.] pigeon fanciers. 281 



had to make an abstract of the whole. Herbert's volume on 

 Amaryllidacese very good, and two excellent papers in the 

 ' Horticultural Journal.' For animals, no resume to be trusted 

 at all ; facts are to be collected from all original sources.* 

 I fear my MS. for the bigger book (twice or thrice as long 

 as in present book), with all references, would be illegible, 

 but it would save you infinite labour ; of course I would 

 gladly lend it, but I have no copy, so care would have to be 

 taken of it. But my accursed handwriting would be fatal, 

 I fear. 



About breeding, I know of no one book. I did not think 

 well of Lowe, but I can name none better. Youatt I look at 

 as a far better and more practical authority ; but then his views 

 and facts are scattered through three or four thick volumes. 

 I have picked up most by reading really numberless special 

 treatises and all agricultural and horticultural journals ; but 

 it is a work of long years. The difficulty is to know what to 

 trust. No one or two statements are worth a farthing ; the 

 facts are so complicated. I hope and think I have been 

 really cautious in what I state on this subject, although all 

 that I have given, as yet, is far too briefly. I have found it 

 very important associating with fanciers and breeders. For 

 instance, I sat one evening in a gin palace in the Borough 

 amongst a set of pigeon fanciers, when it was hinted that 

 Mr. Bull had crossed his Pouters with Runts to gain size ; and 



* This caution is exemplified in proved subsequently to be quite 



the following extract from an earlier sterile ; well, compiler the first, 



letter to Professor Huxley : "The Chevreul, says that the hybrids were 



inaccuracy of the blessed gang (of propagated for seven generations 



which I am one) of compilers passes inter se. Compiler second (Morton) 



all bounds. Monsters have fre- mistakes the French name, and 



quently been described as hybrids gives Latin names for two more 



without a tittle of evidence. I must distinct geese, and says Chevreul 



give one other case to show how himself propagated them inter se 



we jolly fellows work. A Belgian for seven generations ; and the latter 



Baron (I forget his name at this statement is copied from book to 



moment) crossed two distinct geese book." 

 and got seven hybrids, which he 



