145 



the three colours that constitute the Almond — black, white, and yellow, variously and 

 richly intermixed ; and that after breeding them a considerable time, rejecting those 

 that ran from feather, judiciously matching the good feathered ones together, have 

 brought them to such great perfection, they should have been surprised to have bred 

 any other than Almonds. There are some so magaificently elegant in feather, that their 

 flight, tail, back, and rump, have resembled a bed of the finest and best broken tulips 

 that can be imagined, or a piece of the best and most highly polished tortoise-shell, for 

 the more they are variegated, particularly in the flight and tail, provided the ground 

 be yellow, or a rich bright Almond, through hackle, shoulder, and rump, the whole to be 

 equally spangled and broken with black and white, the more they are estijemed ; the 

 yellow is a colour most difficult to attain. 



SHAPE OE CAEEIAGE. 



417. The Almond Tumbler ought to be a very small Pigeon, the more diminutive the 

 the better, provided it maintains its other noble properties boldly, which is essential to 

 constitute a good bird ; the more snug and compact, the more tlaey are appreciated — 

 the more the value of the bird is enhanced. It should be very short in the back ; the 

 lower it stands the better, with small round body ; particularly with a fine, prominent, 

 full and extremely broad (or, as Fanciers term it, square) chest ; the lower the neck the 

 better ; should be shorter than any other Pigeon, with a particularly thin or slim neck, 

 beautifully curved under the throat and thrown back ; the shorter the flight and tail 

 the better. 



418. It is my opininon shape or carriage is the grandest property in the Almond 

 Tumbler ; would be one of the best criterions to judge a bird coming from a good stud. 

 I observed before there is a tendency in the Almond Tuuiblers to degenerate or throw 

 back in some of their properties, notwithstanding being bred out of the very best strain 

 of birds. On examining an Almond Tumbler, should some of it^ properties run out 

 as expressed by Fanciers, yet the bird maintaining shape and carriage, is evident proof 

 of its coming from a first-rate stud of birds. 



419. The shape or carriage of most things living is the most beautiful property, save 

 the mind ; to my fancy I am not aware there is anything under the sun, or that you 

 can imagine or conceive, that is so truly beautiful and ele'^ant in its proportions or sym- 

 metry of style as the shape or carriage of the Almond Tumbler, approaching perfection 

 in this property (save Loveiv Woman), and has been most happily selected as the 

 emblem of beauty, tenderness, and affection, and is depicted as the appropriate attendant 

 of Venus. 



HEAD. 



420. The head should be broad as possible, not only broad, high and lofty as possi- 

 ble ; not only broad and lofty, at the same time should be round as possible, like a 

 marble. It should have a good dig, chop, or stop, or any other technical term Fanciers 

 understand and are pleased to call it. The front of the head should appear as it were 

 overhanging a portion of the beak, at that beautiful part of the bird which, in the 

 estimation of Fanciers, is not excelled by any ; I allude to that grand point, the stop 

 in front of the head, or, more properly speaking, under the head ; the feathers forming 

 the front of the head should make a dead stop ; above all things not run in a slanting 

 direction into the wattle on the beak, which is a defect, and is called a needle point. 

 Looking at the head in front, should it happen to present an angular or slanting direc- 

 tion towards you, it is called by Gentlemen of the Fancy thin-faced or mousey ; it is 

 one of the greatest imperfections a bird can possibly have, being the very opposite of a 

 round head and quick stop. There are few birds, comparatively speaking, that have 

 these beautiful dead and decided stops ; and still further to add to the beauty and finish 

 of the head, the feathers under the eye and aboiit the lower jaw should be fuU and a 

 little curved upwards, which is called " muffy." For a broad, lofty, round head, with 

 a good stop, is in a fair way to be considered a wonder, or nonpareil, particularly 

 by head and beak Fanciers, who constitute at least three-fourths of the Almond Tum- 

 bler Fanciers. To produce a bird as above described. Gentlemen of the Fancy 

 have said it has been the work of a season, and have considered themselves amply re- 

 warded. 



