u 



and -wliite tail, are esteemed good flyers, and are very pretty, even when flying in 

 the air, for the contrast of the feather appears at that distance when the weather is 

 clear and fine. But the blue ones are reputed to ripe higher than any other colour. 



(CoEKER, 196 C.)— The Bald-head Tumblers, which are of various colours in their 

 bodies, as blues, blacks, reds, yellows, duns, almonds, &c., there is a difference of opinion 

 in respect to the cut of the bird, some preferring the head and part of the neck 

 white, but I prefer the close cut under the beak ; in fact, the head only white, clean- 

 thighed, white feathers to the turn of the flight, and if blue, the bars to be black. 

 When birds are close cut, Fanciers term it "the rings." Pleasant-faced are good 

 flyers and tumble well, more particularly the blue and black. Since the introduction of 

 the Antwerp birds into this country, there has been a great change ; in fact, it is 

 with great difiiculty we see a flight of these very pretty birds. They are also a very 

 good class of birds for tossing at a short distance. 



(ToNGE, 196 C.) — Nothing in creation is prettier than the short-faced Baldhead, 

 •when possessing the five properties which constitute the Tumbler, viz,, head, beak, 

 eye, carriage, and feather ; but at this period they are very scarce. Nothing is easier 

 than to imagine how they ought to be ; marking is very characteristic in this variety, 

 and when clean cut, clean thighed, and even-flighted, no wonder the general admira- 

 tion of Fanciers should be excited. Many perfectly marked birds are to be found 

 amongst their long-faced brethren, but the difl&culty of obtaining head and beak with 

 uniformity of marking is very great. Many are the experiments which have been 

 made for their propagation, and perhaps not the least successful is the having recourse 

 to an occasional cross with the high-bred Almond Tumbler, Great must be the 

 patience and perseverence of the Fancier, who would accomplish the task : he must 

 expect defeat and disappointment ; the only balm for his labour is the hope of success, 

 although thwarted in this effort once, twice, or thrice ; the only encouragement left is 

 to " Try again !" 



(Bkent, 196 C) — Baldhead Tumblers are very pretty ; their bodies are of various 

 colours, as black, blue, &c., from which they receive their name, as Black Baldheads, 

 and so forth. The head must be perfectly white, evenly marked all round, and not 

 " slobbered ;" from seven to ten flight feathers ; must be white in each wing, and the 

 tail, rump, thighs, and vent, must also be quite white and clear from foul feathers ; 

 the eyes, too, must be pearl, as a black eye is a great blemish. 



(Eaton.) — I knew a Fancier, that after his death, one of his Baldhead hens, at auction, 

 realised twenty-five pounds ; and I knew another case of a Blue-beard — it was a bad colour 

 — sooty blue or lead colour — that it could not be purchased for ten pounds ; therefore, it 

 does not follow that it is so much in feather, but the fact is, in the properties of carriage, 

 head, beak, eye, &c,, which it is useless to attempt to deny; therelore, it follows the 

 Almond Tumbler and other Tumblers, equally possessing the five properties alike, differ 

 in nothing but feather. 



(Eaton, 196 A.) — Mooee, whom I think the pre-eminent of all Fanciers, does not 

 mention the Mottles, Baldheads, or Beards. As Mayor is the first I know to men- 

 tion these Pigeons, I have taken his remarks as my text. Mayor calls it the Bald- 

 pated Tumbler, as many other Fanciers do ; I consider Baldhead the best name. I 

 cannot find in Gietin a single line of original matter on the whole of Tumblers, but 

 word for word as Mayor, which causes me still to think Girtin was the author of the 

 work dedicated to Mr. John Mayor, 1765. Fanciers differ as regards the number of 

 white feathers, in the flight of Baldheads and Beards, some arguing six in Beards and 

 eight in Baldheads, Counting from the extremity of the outer wing, I believe the 

 general opinion of Fanciers is, that Beards should have seven white feathers in the 

 flight, and Baldheads ten, or at the turn of the flight feathers. There are Fanciers who 

 argue that Baldheads and Beards should have ten aside as it is called, or white flight 

 up to the turn feather. It is easy work in conversation for men to insist upon anything 

 for argument sake, or theory ; only, simply let these arguers of theory attempt to 

 put it in practice, they will find out their mistake. I beheve it easier to breed 

 a Baldhead with ten, or at the turn of the flight, than a Beard with seven. It 

 happens, unfortunately, in beautiful head and beak Baldheads or Beards, that they are 

 slabbered or slobbered about the heads ; it is different with the common flying Bald- 

 head. I consider short-faced Baldheads one of the most difl&cult birds to breed, equally 

 as difficult as Almonds or Black Mottles. It is a common thing now to give five gui- 



