79 



188. — These Pigeons by their flight afford an admirable satisfaction, to 

 those gentlemen of the Fancy that have time to attend them, and make 

 their observations ; for besides the pleasure they afford by their tumbling, 

 which is very considerable, they will rise to an immense height in the air, 

 so that sometimes the eye can scarcely follow them. I have frequently 

 lost sight of them, though they have been almost perpendicular over my 

 head and the day has been very clear and serene ; yet by a fixed regard of 

 the place where I lost them, (for they never ramble far like the Horse- 

 man, and if good when they are used to each other, a flight of a dozen 

 will keep so close together, that you may cover them all with a large hand- 

 kerchief) I have at length perceived them, but so small that they appeared 

 no bigger than a sparrow. 



189. — At this height they will keep two, three, four and sometimes five 

 hours together, nay I have heard it frequently asserted, that there have 

 been pigeons of this breed, which have flown nine hours, (*) when they 

 are up at their pitch, the better sort seldom or never tumble, choosing 

 rather to afford you that diversion when they are more in sight, tumbling 

 very often at the first beginning to rise, and again when they are coming 

 down to pitch. 



190. — I now come to the method of raising a flight of Tumblers ; and 

 in the first place, they ought, if you have the convenience, to be kept in 

 a loft by themselves, not having any acquaintance, if possible, with your 

 other pigeons ; for if they are used to fly with others, it will make them 



would not be fair in me showing an Almond with only nine feathers in the turn of 

 flight ; it would be anything but just. I am sure from the kindness I have received 

 from my brother Fancier, Mr. Bkent, he will excuse the remarks I have made, be- 

 lieving he was led to express these remarks from being more of a feather fancier than a 

 short-faced head and beak fancier. At the same time I believe Mr. Brent is not 

 aware that in the standard laid down for an Almond, that it should have twelve fea- 

 thers in the tail, neither more or less. 



* 189. (Matoe. — p. 70.) — Or twelve hours ; but I hope to be excused in thinking 

 the Gentlemen of the Flying Fancy may have been deceived in point of time, 

 when they have made those assertions, though I cannot absolutely contradict it. I 

 remember to have heard an old Fancier (not a mile from Long Acre) declare, that he 

 once had a flight of Tumblers that soared so prodigiously high, that (to use 

 his own words) he could see them when they were out of sight, which imdoubtedly 

 appears rather paradoxical ; but as miracles never cease, we shall suffer that to pass 

 for one. 



189. (Eaton.) — I cannot help thinking that Matok required a little charity with 

 the old Fancier, for seeing his birds when out of sight ; there is such a difference in 

 our vision at times. You know at times we see double. What makes it remarkable 

 at the same time is, none of us can see a hole through a ladder. It is possible the 

 first might apply to the old Fancier, and the second to Matoe. For a moment allow 

 me to indulge in the phantom of the mind ; I wonder where Matoe heard the old 

 Fancier relate it ; no doubt at a meeting of Fanr^iers, at which they were mellowing 

 their clay. Depend upon it, it was not at a Total Abstinence Society, for they were 

 not in fashion at the time. My flyers and feeders being of various sorts, would not 

 furnish a criterion as to how long Tumblers will fly. 1 recoUect reading an account in 

 BelVs Life or The Field of a wager as to which flight of Tumblers would fly or 

 keep up the longest. One flight kept up six hours and a half, the other flight came 

 down in half-an-hour, although this flight has been known to keep up seven hours 

 and a half. The amazing power of the Tumbler to fly, appears almost incredulous. 



