264 BIRDS 



themselves. It is naturally necessary, in breeding, to have 

 all the nest boxes on the floor. Parlor Tumblers are bred 

 chiefly in black, dun, red, yellow and splashed. 



The Exhibition Tumblers 



By careful selection and breeding a great variety of Tum- 

 blers have been evolved which are prized for various colors 

 and markings. Such birds have, in most cases, lost the tum- 

 bling ability and are seldom given their liberty. Once 

 despised as " boy's pigeons " they have risen to a state where 

 they are among the most popular. Exhibition Tumblers are 

 divided into two main groups — Short-faced and Long- 

 faced. All varieties have at least one point in common, the 

 white or pearl eye. The Short- faced really has a very short 

 beak, but the so-called opposite is far from long in this 

 feature. 



The Short-faced Tumbler is the fourth of the group 

 once known as " high-class " pigeons, and like its fellow- 

 erstwhile favorites, has of late lost greatly in prestige. Re- 

 cently it has experienced something of a revival in this coun- 

 try and some excellent specimens have been imported. The 

 Short-faced is very small, in fact one of the most diminutive 

 of pigeons. Its legs are short and the body chunky, with 

 very full breast. The head is large and rounded, and broad 

 between the eyes. The beak is extremely short, fine and 

 pointed, and has the appearance of being set in beneath the 

 bulging forehead. The little creatures are quite incom- 

 petent to rear their own young and feeders must be utilized. 



Short-faces are bred in many colors, the most popular of 

 which is still the almond. The Almond Short- face was once 

 the most popular of pigeons and was bred in great num- 

 bers. The exact cause of its decline is not easy to name, 

 but it is a significant fact that to produce it to perfection 



