6 



mon appearance, and a first-class bird 

 can seldom be distinguished from a 

 quantity of inferior ones. The 

 colours of these birds are chiefly 

 black badges, red badges, and blue 

 badges. Old fanciers chiefly go in 

 for breeding self -colours, blues, 

 blacks, and reds ; these colours are 

 rather scarce, and it is with diffi- 

 culty you can buy a first-class bird 

 without paying a large price for it. 



Twenty years ago black saddle- 

 backs and belnecks were all the 

 rage ; but at the present time dark 

 birds are the favourites. Old fanciers 

 have an idea that the dark ones are 

 the strongest, and of a harder nature. 

 Light birds generally have bull or 

 black eyes, and the dark ones, pearl 

 eyes. I have flown both light and 

 dark birds, and think there is very 

 little difference ; it is only a matter 

 of fancy. 



Twenty years ago the flying tumb- 

 ler was rather a different stamp of 



