CHAPTER XVIII 
THE JUDGING OF ROLLERS 
FAULTS OF OMISSION AND FAULTS OF 
COMMISSION IN COMPETITION 
This Chapter on Judging was coniributed by the well- 
known Judge, the late Mr. H. G. Hill. 
‘ X JHAT do we mean when we say “‘ Faults?”” We 
have tried to catalogue them, but have we 
succeeded in doing so? My own experience 
has taught me that some of those birds which, judged by 
that catalogue as faulty, are far better songsters than 
many which are ticketed as “ pure.”’ 
I will endeavour to explain why I hold that view, 
in the hope that beginners in the Fancy will be guided 
thereby to think for themselves, and not be imprisoned 
by hard and fast catalogue rules. 
The cataloguing of faults is useful as a guide, but 
it does not, and cannot, embrace all that should be 
considered as faulty in a Roller’s song, and its great 
drawback is that it often places a ban on some fault that 
is in the catalogue, whilst blinding us to a more serious 
fault that is not in that penalty list, and so escapes the 
visible sign of penalization. 
As an illustration, I have often heard novices regard 
a bird with horror because he has in his song aufzug, 
rather sharp flutes, or a bell that is delivered rather 
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