THE ALMOND TUMBLER. 79 



should admire it as a purely English manu- 

 factured Pigeon." 



It was the first domestic Pigeon honoured by 

 having a book written air about itself. Such 

 literary attention was paid to it in the year 

 1802 by Mr. Windus, a London solicitor. In 

 1851 the homage was repeated by Mr. Eaton. 

 The first monograph has yet to be penned on 

 the Carrier or Pouter. 



It is interesting to trace what art has accom- 

 plished in 1 20 years, during which period the 

 Almond has been diligently cultivated and brought 

 to its present state of perfection. The first 

 English writer, Francis Willoughby (1676), who 

 refers to fancy pigeons, does not even mention 

 the Almond. I suppose it was up in the clouds 

 in his day. John Moore, in his " Columbarum " 

 (1735), describes it cautiously as a novelty that 

 he does not comprehend ; so disposes of it curtly 

 in few lines, most of which are occupied with 

 discussing its name. At that date the name of 

 the bird was unsettled. Some called it Almond, 

 others Ermine Tumbler. Thirty years after- 

 ward it comes to the front as the favourite 

 of the Fancy. It is described by the unknown 

 author of the treatise of 1765 lengthily and 

 lovingly. In fact, so enamoured of it was he, 



