ORIENTAL FRILL PIGEONS. 



lacing to be seen. The tails were laced, and they 

 had a whitish bar. 



I have a picture of a group of Oriental Frills 

 which were the property of Mr. Peter Verdon, of 

 Liverpool, taken about 35 years ago. In that 

 picture is a very typical black-laced, so-called, 

 Blond inette cock. Just such a marked bird as 

 I have described, and this bird was a first prize 

 Palace winner. But it was only a question of 

 time, and with judicious matings and those two 

 all-important virtues, patience and perseverance, 

 lacing gradually but surely made its appearance. 



And here I am tempted to quote a little 

 stanza I once heard, and which I think appropri- 

 ate, as bearing upon the present subject: — 



Slowly moves the march of ages. 

 Slowly grows the Forest King, 



Slowly to perfection cometh 

 Every good and perfect thing. 



TWO NOTABLE BIRDS. 



And thus the lacing of the black Blondinette 

 gradually crept up until we were rewarded by 

 getting it up to and round the shoulder butts. 

 The first I saw was a plain -headed hen in the 

 lofts of Mr. Caridia, just before he left Birming- 

 ham for his native home in Smyrna. To say I 

 was charmed at the sight of this bird would be 

 to use a very mild expression. She was, indeed, 

 a gem — a true Oriental Frill in every respect. 



She had a very round head, perfect carriage, 

 compact body, and the most marvellous frill I 



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