COMMON TUMBLERS. 127 



and mere odd feathers cannot be detected ; but whole patches 

 should not fail to " catch the judge's eye." We have known 

 the mottling in Mottles added, or fastened in ! To guard 

 against such practices, every bird chosen for a prize, or any 

 purchase, should be carefully overhauled. 



CHAPTER X. 



COMMON AND PERFORMING TUMBLERS. 



THE class of pigeons described in the heading of this chapter is 

 a very large one, and the division indicated is by no means 

 well-marked. Probably all were originally actually tumbling 

 birds ; but of late years several divisions have been bred for 

 feather or marking, and hence have been derived varieties 

 which are shown in classes for these points, but which very 

 often neither perform nor possess the head properties of the 

 Short-faces. Baldheads, Beards, and Mottles are perhaps most 

 bred in this way for the show-pen. Many are what is called 

 "pleasant-faced," or with a decided, though moderate, approach to 

 the short-faced type; and these birds, as already observed, make 

 admirable feeders for their more delicate relatives described in 

 the last chapter, and most valuable crosses for improving their 

 marking. We have seen many mottled birds which were all 

 but perfect in marking, and also Baldheads and Beards which 

 left little to be desired. In the neighbourhood of Birmingham 

 many fanciers prefer the Mottle without what has been already 

 described as the handkerchief back, and with no other marking 

 than the mottled shoulder : these are often called Rosewings, 

 and perfect specimens of these pleasant-faced Mottles or Rose- 

 wings, whether performers or not, have a considerable local 

 value. 



As regards the breeding of these " marked " birds, nothing 

 need be added to what is stated in the last chapter. It is 



