36 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



The working out of beautiful designs in silk 

 depended entirely upon the skill of the weaver. 

 The nature of the employment required means of 

 relaxation, as the brain as well as the hand was 

 sorely taxed in preparing the looms for new 

 patterns, together with the monotony of the 

 occupation confining them in the house all day, 

 produced a desire for some hobby as a set off. 

 Whatever they undertook by way of recreation 

 they carried out well. Their gardens were kept 

 in the most exact order ; the beds of tulips and 

 ranunculus were simply perfection. Their stock 

 of bulbs, being highly cultivated, and handed 

 down from father to son, increasing in value 

 each generation, were preserved with most scru- 

 pulous care. Pigeons also were their hobby. 

 Their birds were a source of perennial delight. 

 Being always at home they were enabled to pay 

 much attention to them, and were very success- 

 ful in the culture. Not being in needy circum- 

 stances, they were able to keep the rare specimens, 

 thereby arriving at great perfection. As an in- 

 stance of the interest taken in the Fancy, at that 

 time there was scarcely a tavern in the district 

 but had fixed round the public room pens for 

 Pouters ; these birds being always on show 

 during the winter months. Whilst these people 



