139 



The value of birds, as usual with matters of taste, will depend much on the estimated 

 qualities of the birds ; if they should be of extraordinary beauty and excellence in the 

 five properties, the price will be proportionably high, as there are many gentlemen in 

 the fancy who know how to appreciate a good bird, do not hesitate to give a good price 

 for it ; therefore, you must not expect to obtain a bird for five pounds, that other Fan- 

 ciers would give ten pounds for. 



405. I have now amved at a difl&cult point, how to instil the knowledge of a bird 

 possessing good properties into the mind of the young Fancier when he sees it ; should 

 he be anxious to purchase the bird, I should advise him to consider whether he stands 

 in need of the bird, believes it will improve his stud or strain, if so, buy it at any price, 

 it cannot be dear. From experience, combined in conversation with some of the best 

 and most experienced Fanciers, the only way to obtain an extraordinary bird, is to give 

 more than it is worth, comparatively speaking. The first time I attended a Grand 

 Show, there was as I thought, such a particularly pretty neat looking pair of birds, 

 nothing gaudy about them ; they appeared so remarkably clean and quiet, the thought 

 struck me of Friends and Quakers ; I became anxious to obtain this pair of birds, and 

 seeing the gentleman to whom the birds belonged. I politely asked him if he would part 

 with them, he said he would as he was desirous of bringing as many gentlemen into the 

 fancy as possible, would favovir me being a young and inexperienced Fancier, the price 

 would be five pounds ; he greatly astonished me when he uttered "five pounds," if he 

 had said five shillings, I think at that time I should had spirit enough to have ofiered 

 four shillings and sixpence ; since then, I have had the honor of that gentleman's ac- 

 quaintance, have been repeatedly in his aviary, seen the pair of birds I am writing of, 

 having acquired knowledge of the Almond Tumbler, my experience taught me the birds 

 were worth more money than he had asked ; in fact, they were a pair of extremely 

 short faced beautiful Golden Duns, bred from a splendid pair of Almonds, I was at the 

 time too inexperienced to know it ; I would particularly caution the young Fancier, on 

 entering societies where shows take place, not to give offence to any of its members, by 

 asking what do you want for that bird ? you would be treated with contempt, not get 

 an answer, for you might as well ask some gentlemen to part with half their fortunes, 

 as a bird they highly estimate. There are ways of doing things without giving offence, 

 I think the best way is politely to ask, whether he considers it a fair question, if he 

 would part with the bird, then you will receive a polite answer. 



406. The best and cheapest bird I ever bought cost me five pounds, why I say the 

 cheapest, is, because I bred twelve young ones from him, all good birds, I have given 

 more, and know gentlemen that have given still higher prices ; I saw at one of the so- 

 cieties, a Pigeon, the gentleman to whom it belonged, stated he would not take twenty 

 pounds for it. To return to the young Fancier, I would adH'=!e him to purchase good 

 birds, if he is acquainted with experienced Fanciers, to solicit their assistance in 

 obtaining birds that will be serviceable to him ; if, on the other hand, he would rather 

 trust to his own judgment, all I can say, is, I wish him luck, it will prove a lottery, as 

 the most experienced Fanciers have acquired their knowledge with care, trouble, and 

 expense ; neither can the young and inexperienced expect to escape unscathed, till time 

 and experience shall improve his eye, and mature his judgment. The dearest birds I 

 ever bought was owing to my being out of my " Cocker," I summed and cast up by 

 the rule of addition, brought in the sum total, the Fancier was too ignorant to take 

 me in ; I acknowledge I was raw and green in the fancy at the time, I think I hear his 

 musical strains, now " klaw zas zow zas zif blez zew, zur, me tak yu in zur" accompanied 

 with such a sheepish and innocent look that would have taken in the old gentleman 

 dressed in black, this Fancier took me in more than all the other Fanciers put together. 

 It was my fault, being out of my cocker, assuming that he was too ignorant to take 

 me in, *' 'Tis said it requires a wise man to play the part of a fool," I experienced it, I 

 was the fool, without the wise part. 



407. This bird is called the ''Almond Tumbler" by gentlemen of the Fancy; in my 

 researches I have traced it back to the year 1735 ; as gentlemen of the Fancy have 

 assigned this name to this truly beautiful bird, after consideration I think it would be 

 injudicious to alter it, if a meeting of all , the Almond Tumbler Fanciers was called 

 together, I question whether any could assign a better name. For what is it Fanciers 

 allow to constitute the Almond Tumbler, the three colors, black white and yellow, 



