ORIGIN OF ALMOND TUMBLERS. Ill 



beautiful and very valuable species were originally produced from 

 the common Tumblers being properly matched so as to intermix 

 the feather," and names black, black grizzles, yellows, whites, 

 duns, and other colours as having contributed to this result, 

 which it plainly implies was then recent, adding that by the 

 same process Almonds are " always attainable." The gradual 

 development of the present Short-faced bird is further shown by 

 the fact that even as late as 1802, when Windus published his 

 celebrated treatise on the Almond, the wings were not trailed as 

 now, but carried above the tail, the same as figured in the 

 general " Treatise " of 1765. 



It by no means follows, however, that a cross may not have 

 been employed to add or increase certain properties ; and there 

 is indeed fair presumptive evidence that such was the case. 

 Mr. J. C. Lyell considers that an Indian pigeon called the 

 Goolee had probably something to do with the process; and the 

 reference to our engraving of Indian pigeons at page 201 will 

 indeed show very strong resemblances in the decided " stop," the 

 tip-toe carriage, and the wings trailed below the tail, which last 

 feature is especially remarkable. That the Fantail came from 

 India we know, and that a peculiar kind of performing Tumblers 

 exists there still is also perfectly well known : it is therefore by 

 no means unlikely that the whole tribe of Tumblers may have 

 come to us from India. But besides the Goolee, in a letter 

 published in 1879* Mr. Lyell cites interesting evidence respect- 

 ing other crosses which may have co-operated in producing the 

 Short-faced Tumbler. Mr. Jayne, the celebrated breeder of 

 Croydon, stated to him in conversation that the late Mr. Morey 

 (mentioned by Eaton as never without a stud of pigeons for 

 sixty years) was the only one known to him who could recount 

 how the Short-faced pigeon was produced ; that it was the result 

 of thirty-two crosses ; and that the African Owl had something 

 to do with it. Eaton writes of Mr. Morey as already dead in 

 * Live Stock Journal, Jan. 31, 1879. 



