liU 



with regard to feather, the cock has a deal more ground, more break or variegation 

 ;in his flight and tail feathers ; although there are hens equal in feather to the cocks, 

 they are very few ; they are the exception to the rule. Should it happen two birds 

 possessing the five properties, namely, head, beak, eye, carriage, and feather, equally 

 alike, I have no hesitation in saying the hen is worth double the money of the cock. 

 As I observed before, they are the exception not the rule, being very scarce and not 

 quite so brilliant in feather. 



* 427. I cannot in my conscience withhold from you, my brother Fanciers, the 

 beautiful and judicious remarks I received in a letter from Mr. William Tonge : — 

 " With regard to the general appearance of a bird, it is really wonderful to see how 

 some (who call themselves Fanciers) are carried quite away, overlooking every consi- 

 deration save that of feather, which it must be admitted is a truly fine Finish. But 

 as everything must have a beginning, it must be infinitely better to attach the greatest 

 importance to that which constitutes the Foundation, leaving all artistic embellish- 

 ments to a future season. Comparisons are sometimes odious, and perhaps this may be 

 considered an instance. Many a good bird is passed over without comment simply be- 

 cause he is clothed in a bad skin, although, did he but possess his brother's coat, and 

 vice versa, how great would be the change ! 



MATCHING OK PAIRING. 



428. There are several things to take into consideration ; the first, how many pairs 

 of birds you intend to match up ? What is the temperatm*e of your aviary or loft ? 

 How are you circumstanced for room ? The reason I ask how many pairs you intend 

 to match up is — if you intend only matching a few pairs, and have ample room for 

 them, match them by the beginning of March, should the place be warm ; the middle 

 of February if you match up forty pairs, as I have done. Require the birds to keep 

 the pens you assign them, then match up the first of February, as you will experienca 

 much trouble, and it will take considerable time before you can get the birds steady 

 to the place you have assigned them. 



429. The first or second round of eggs, as it is termed by Fanciers, seldom produce 

 anything, owing to their being thin-shelled, soft, or lush eggs. Shordd they break or 

 destroy their eggs, it is necessary to give them addled or bone eggs, made on purpose. 

 Make them set their time. It is necessary to give them a young one to feed off their 

 soft food, which they will do in a week or ten days ; there is a great difierence in feed- 

 ing ; some feed well ; others, comparatively speaking, do not feed at all. I said it was 

 necessary to make them set their time and feed off their soft food, otherwise they will 

 only lay soft-shelled eggs so frequently through the breeding season, that you will ruin 

 the constitution of the hens for ever. 



430. On the knowledge you possess of matching and shifting, will depend your success 

 as an Almond Fancier ; these are the two grand secrets or great facts — the first, to pro- 

 duce, the second, to raise ; I shall endeavour to assist you, how to breed a good bird. 

 I stated in a former part of this work, you have no right to expect a wonder or Non- 

 pareil from inferior birds. Fanciers widely differ in their attempts to breed a good bird ; 

 some Fanciers, sacrifice every property in a bird to obtain head and beak, by matching 

 the two best head and beak birds in the aviary or loft, others, sacrificing the other pro- 

 perties to obtain feather, this is the cause, of observing such good head and beak birds, 

 but running from feather ; on the contrary, those Fanciers who sacrifice everything for 

 feather, breed birds witli beautiful feather, but they run out in head and beak. Fanciers, 

 looking at good head and beak birds, will tolerate the bird and overlook the feather, on 

 the contrary, if it was the best feather possible to obtain and ran out in the head, thin- 

 faced or mousey, the remark many fanciers would make, (as I have heard it) they would 

 give ten poimds provided the bird was as good in head and beak, as it was in feather. 



431. There are young Fanciers who are over covetous, who go for all the five pro- 

 perties at once, they have their reward by getting nothing ; others breed to a feather, 

 they foi'get to say what feather. I will mention a cause to show the uncertainty of 

 breeding to a feather, as it is called : the best pair of Almonds — cock and hen, extra 

 good in all properties, I ever possessed, keeping them matched together for three years, 

 bred three beautiful Almond cocks, two kite hens, yellow and red whole feather, yellow 



