PIGEONS. 87 



When the birds are accustomed to their houses, they may be 

 turned out upon the wing, but only once a-day. A bright grey 

 morning is the best time, especially for young birds; and some 

 hemp or Canary seeds must be scattered round their cots, to 

 entice them in, when their hours of liberty have expired. 



There is a particularly fine variety of this pigeon, which is 

 called the "bald-pated tumbler," denoted by the cut below, 

 from its having a beautiful snowy white head; it has pearl 

 eyes, and in plumage is exceedingly diversified ; the tail and 

 flight feathers, however, match the head, which is pure white. 

 When a tumbler, either of a black or blue color, has a long 

 dash of white from the under jaw and cheek to a little way 

 down the throat, it is called a " black" or " blue-bearded" bird, 



BALD-PATED TUMBLER. 



as the color may be ; and if this beard be well shaped, and the 

 bird be clean in the tail and flight, as before described, it may 

 be reckoned very handsome and valuable. When these 

 pigeons are dashing along in the brilliant sunshine, the lively 

 contrast of their feathers adds much to the vivacity of their 

 appearance. 



There is another and still more beautiful variety of this 

 breed, called by some fanciers the " ermine tumbler," but 

 which is generally known by the name of the " almond 

 tumbler." It is an extremely elegant, and highly-prized 

 variety, and is derived from common tumblers judiciously 

 matched; as yellows, duns, whites, black-splashed, black- 

 frizzled, &c, so as to sort the feathers. 

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