80 



sink their flight, when they observe others skimming in the air below 

 them. 



191. — Secondly, they ought to be turned out and put upon flight 

 only once a day at most, and that by themselves, after being well 

 acquainted with your house ; the morning is the best time for this diver- 

 sion, and after they are come down, throw them a little hempseed or rape 

 and canary to entice them in and so keep them confined until the next 

 day. 



Thirdly. If possible get one or two that have been used to flying high* 

 for they will train your young ones up the sooner. 



192. — Besides these things, the Fanciers have observed particular 

 seasons, when a Tumbler will make a more extravagant flight than ordi- 

 nary, as for instance, when she sits upon eggs, and a few days after 

 having fed off" the soft meat ; I can't find any philosophical reason to be 

 given for this, yet as it is confirmed by observation, I thought it worth 

 taking notice of. 



193. — Another time, when they will make a very extraordinary flight, 

 is, when you observe ravens, crows or any other birds wantonly playing at 

 a great height in the air ; this may be very easily accounted for, there 

 being at such a time something, in the temperament of the air, suitable 

 to the genius of those birds, that delight in the upper regions of the atmo- 

 sphere. 



194. — Here I must advise the Fancier, not to turn out his Tumblers, 

 when there appear any signs of a rising fog, for by this means the sight of 

 their habitation is intercepted, and many a good flight lost for ever. 



195. — A high wind will likewise drive them too far from home, so that 

 if they are not entirely lost, they may lie out all night, and so be exposed 

 to the cats or various other accidents. 



196. — Lastly, never turn out your hen Tumbler when she is with egg, 

 for besides that she is at that time sick and unflt to fly, so likewise by 

 her long flight, she may drop her egg, an instance of which I have known, 

 and so prevent the increase of your breed. 



196. (Beent.) — Under this denomination it is my intention to include all the vai-ie- 

 ties of the most interesting and amusing kind of Pigeon with which I am acquainted. 

 The fancy Almond and the high-bred short faced Tumblers I mentioned briefly in my 

 last, referring those that require a fuller description to Mr, J. M. Eaton's Work, 

 where they will find full particulars as to their managment^ breeding, &c., as also ac- 

 counts of the trouble and difficulty of rearing " a little wonder ;" but such pains wiH, 

 I fear, be only bestowed by a few enthusiastic Fanciers. The varieties of this breed 

 that now come under our notice are very numerous ; their soaring flight and their aerial 

 gymnastics wiU call forth much admiration, and are, I conceive, well calculated to en- 

 list the sympathies of the student of nature. The Tumbler Pigeons are well known 

 in most of the countries of Europe ; in France they are called " Voltigeurs," or "Cal- 

 butants ;" in Germany, "Burzel," " Umschlager," or "Tummler-Tauben," Their 

 name is derived from their throwing a summersault while flying, which they sometimes 

 perform three or four times at a single spring, clapping their wings together over their 

 back, then suddenly biinging them down with force, they throw themselves back on 

 their tails, but fearing to go over, and some are a long time before they overcome 

 their fears ; this is called " backing," When young birds fly well and back much 



