352 FANCY PIGEONS. 



breeding of snch with, red and yellow Whole-feathers and 

 Agate Whole-feathers that a strain of red and yellow Mottles 

 might be produced. Such red and yellow Mottles as were 

 in existence when the fancy for them was at its best were 

 doubtless produced in this way. 



Considering the difficulty there is in producing Short-faced 

 Mottles, and remembering the fact that none have ever been 

 seen naturally perfect in marking, it is a question if the 

 standard of feather for them is not too high. A standard 

 that would allow of white feathers on the head, neck, breast, 

 wings, and back, but retaining the entirely dark flights, tail, 

 rump, and under body, would be a pleasing one. There would 

 also be great difficulty in keeping the white feathers separate, 

 as they are always inclined to run together. 



The Blue Short-faced Tumbler. 



There is another whole-feathered Short-faced Tumbler, now 

 seldom seen, viz., the Blue. It was formerly bred to great 

 perfection in London. Eaton, who has a picture of one in 

 bis Treatise of 1858, says : " I cannot by any possibility let 

 tbe opportunity pass without noticing the observations and 

 great admiration the venerable and much-respected old 

 Fanciers bestow upon the amazingly pretty little compact 

 Sky or Powder Blue Whole-feather, with its black bars, black 

 as ebony, the Short-faced head and beak, with its other 

 properties — the pretty little Blue Tumbler. Whenever they 

 have the opportunity to see one, I have almost fancied they 

 would have gone into fits in observing a good one with its 

 five splendid properties — head, beak, eye, carriage or shape, 

 and feather. It appeared to me almost to make them boys 

 again ; it has as great or greater an effect upon them as 

 going to the mill to be ground young again. Unfortunately, 

 it is seldom you have the opportunity to see one ; they are 

 very scarce at this time (1858)." 



It was soon after this time (in 1862) that I saw in the 



