THE BALDHEAD. 109 



who won more prizes for shortfaced Balds and 

 Beards than any other man, bar myself. 



About the year 1855, one evening I called 

 upon William Barber, who kept a Pigeon Shop 

 in Slater Street, to have a chat, and to pick up 

 anything good in my way. Who should enter 

 Mr. Barber's shop but another old shortfaced 

 Fancier, and never a better, as I afterwards 

 proved. Mr. Barber mentioned my name in 

 conversation, when the gentleman exclaimed, 

 " Woodhouse ! Is this the Woodhouse that 

 has shortfaced Baldheads ? " " Yes, this is the 

 identical man," said Mr. Barber. " Allow me, 

 Mr. Woodhouse, to introduce you to Mr. Bel- 

 lamy the Almond Fancier." In course of a few 

 days Mr. Bellamy was at my place in Old Street 

 Road to inspect my birds. I took him upstairs; 

 opened the door; as soon as he looked round 

 the room, with uplifted hands he exclaimed, 

 " Really ! Woodhouse, I was not aware there 

 was such a splendid stud of shortfaced Balds 

 and Beards in existence. He asked what I had 

 bred them from. I told him the truth : " From 

 all sorts of odds and ends that I could pick up." 

 He advised me to show them. I took his ad- 

 vice. I showed and won First at the Crystal 

 Palace for Red and Yellow Beards, also for Bald- 



