140 



variously and richly interspersed ; the great difficulty, amounting almost to impossi- 

 bilit}'-; is to obtain a rich bright yellow, nevertheless the ardent and indefatigable young 

 Fancier should strive to reach the standard, authorized by gentlemen of the Fancy, 

 namely black, white and yellow, in his efforts to obtain yellow will produce a rich 

 almond colour usually called the ground, from which the bird derives its name. There 

 are three colors in the bird, it would be folly to find a new name for it, as the oldest 

 and best informed Fanciers are of opinion a better name could not be found, shows the 

 good sense of Fanciers centvu-ies ago. I hope the name of the bird will for ever be set 

 at rest, it is known by the name in every clime where the English language is spoken, 

 as the "Almond Tumbler." Should old and experienced Fanciers happen to make a 

 mistake, sit in judgment upon this Work, or become severely critical, my object is a 

 pure one in pubhshing this treatise, that it may find its way into the hands of the young 

 and inexperienced ; the idea struck me, I might give him my experience, from actual 

 observation and reflection, for a better and more experienced Fancier, to suppose for 

 one moment, I had the audacity to instruct him, "is his mistake — not mine," I sin- 

 cerely hope, I am free from such intention. 



408. A person not acquainted with the beauties of this study or science, should not 

 take upon himself the character of judge, and condemn a study or science of which he 

 is utterly ignorant ; should he make his remarks freely, they would most probably be 

 characterised by a gross want of information, and only meet with that contempt which 

 they deserved. I am aware there are gentlemen who cannot see any beauty in Pigeons, 

 except in a pie, " these are Belly Fanciers ;" although very numerous, with these I 

 shall have nothing to do and advise you to beware of them, some come up to the standard 

 gluttons. 



409. That it is an innocent amusement and recreation, well adapted to professional 

 gentlemen of law, physic, and divinity, or any other person engaged in long continued 

 and excessive exertion of the intellectual faculties. The relief this delightful recreation 

 gives is truly astonishing, by unbending the mind after close and intent application 

 to abstruse subjects ; the mind of man is incapable of constant application either to 

 study or business, it is necessary to relieve it. I am of opinion many of the brightest 

 Irmainaries that have suddenly been lost to society, would not have been, had they been 

 engaged in this Fancy, by way of recreation or relief to the mind. I have known some 

 very old gentlemen in the Fancy, but never yet knew a Fancier that was troubled with 

 hippochondriasis. 



410. Nothing so base as ingratitude, I cannot allow it to pass without calling upon 

 young Fanciers to join me in acknowledging the debt of gratitude we owe to the ex- 

 perienced Fanciers of past ages, for handing down to us young Fanciers such a beau- 

 tiful strain of birds to commence with ; when we reflect for a moment, these beautiful 

 birds were originally produced from the common Pigeon, when you consider at one time 

 the beak should not exceed seven eights of an inch, (meaning the distance from the iris, 

 or circle roimd the pupil of the eye, to the end of the quick on the beak.) If the beak 

 was limited to seven-eighths of an inch, I presume was considered short at that time, 

 what is the length it might not have run out to ! this is another proof of the debt of 

 gratitude we owe, as I said before, to experienced Fanciers, and in a most especiaA 

 manner the gentlemen of the late Columbarian Society, who had so great a share for 

 the last hundred years in bringing the Almond Tumbler to the standard it has now 

 arrived at. My young Fanciers, with these advantages at your commencement, I hope 

 and trust by yoTir spirit, attention, and perseverance, you will contribute to increase its 

 beauties and perfections. I will endeavour to stimulate and cheer you on, by informing 

 you the most experienced and accomplished Fancier that ever lived at one time, knew 

 no more about the A'onond Tumbler than the Almond Tumbler knew about him, or the 

 little knowledge you are in possession of, provided you know anything of the Almond 

 Tumbler ; I will tell you another great fact, the field is still as open for fresh com- 

 petitors now, as it was one hundred yeai's ago. 



411. It is well known there are beautiful Pigeons at the Aviaries at Windsor; I 

 have heard Napoleon I. was a Pigeon Fancier. It is one thing to have Pigeons, another 

 thing to understand them. If it were possible for noblemen and gentlemen to know 

 the amazing amount of solace and pleasure derived from the Almond Tumbler, when 

 they begin to understand their properties, I should think scarce any nobleman or 



