147 



land, to produce the best standard Almond Tumbler, two gentlemen Fanciers appointed 

 judges, in a room by themselves, the birds being handed in for admission, the standard 

 being black, white, and yellow, they have agreed in passing two birds at first sight into 

 the pen, which are to be examined again prior to their being showia for the prize ; 

 another bird is now handed in, which is a standard bird, is objected to by one of the 

 judges, the other asks on what grounds — the answer he received that it is not a jet or 

 good black, that it is a faint, smoky, or bad black ; the other judge insists upon good 

 yellow, goes to the pen to examine the two birds that had passed to be re-examined, 

 and declares them disquahfied for showing, the other judge requires the cause, is 

 answered the ground of the bird, also the flight and tail is nearer a red than a yellow, 

 and as the one would not pass a faint black, neither would the other pass a reddish bird, 

 for a yellow. 



438. To return to the matching of the rich Almond cock and golden dun hen, if on 

 the contrary, the same cock was matched over to a good kite hen, they would throw in 

 better black, producing more kites, it may be Almond and Kite in each nest. I think 

 you will not be wrong even in matching up a Spangled or good Splash cock to a sound 

 bright whole-feather hen, Almond bred, namely — duns, kites, reds, yellows, or even red 

 and yellow mottled agate Almond bred birds, and reversing it with the hens and cocks. 

 Not knowing how to produce a given feather I experience the difficulty of instructing 

 you ; I think what I have stated are the best rules to lay down, it will assist if you know 

 how the birds have been bred ; at the same time it is encouraging to the young Fan- 

 cier, that he may come into the Fancy, and throw a bird for feather from an agate cock 

 and kite hen, with the most experienced Fancier. You will see beautiful golden j^ellow 

 in bantams, also in spaniels although called tan, might not some Almonds be called 

 olive, white and tan ; we do not expect to obtain yellow in the Almond as in the gold- 

 finch, refer to the portrait, or what you may consider better, put your hand into your 

 pocket bring it out full of rich bright golden sovereigns, refer to some of these for good 

 golden and pleasing yellow. Remember, still feather is only one property out of the 

 five. 



OF LAYING. 



439. Much will depend on the state of the weather ; should it be fine or warm, the 

 hens will begin to lay in about a week after matching. I have little opinion of those 

 eggs that come very soon after matching ; on the contrary, I have experienced greater 

 success with eggs that come later. Make them a good nest, experience teaches me hay 

 is best, rubbed with the hands, they seldom make a proper one themselves. Let it be 

 a tight nest, if loose and careless the eggs will get under, the birds loose them, forsake 

 the nest ; the eggs are not hatched owing to carelessness on your part. The hen mostly 

 lays two eggs, missing one day between the first and second ; after having laid her first 

 egg, which is always between five and six o'clock in the evening, she and the cock 

 alternately stand over it, to protect it from the intrusion of other birds ; the second is 

 laid, usually between one and two o'clock on the third day, when they commence in- 

 cubation in the following manner : — the cock sits from between nine and ten in the 

 morning till four or five o'clock in the aftei-noon, when the hen sits till the following 

 morning, and so alternately till the seventeenth day from laying the last egg, when the 

 incubation is complete, the eggs will be chipped, and in general hatched in the course 

 of that day, if they hatch at all, and this regularity and alternate relief is maintained 

 during the feeding as well as the sitting. 



440. I used, formerly, when the first egg was laid between five and six o'clock in the 

 evening, to take it away, put it into a pill box, lined with wadding, to prevent its 

 breaking, and substitue a bone egg, for the birds to stand over or sit upon, on the third 

 day, when the hen would lay her second egg, between one and two o'clock ; prior to 

 this, on the same morning, restore the first egg about nine o'clock, so that it might 

 acquire the same warmth, of the last egg, and both eggs hatched together. I was a 

 gainer by this method, having many birds, it was too troublesome ; if you have few 

 birds and time it will reward you for your trouble. I have thought it singular, match 

 up your birds, whatever hour out of the twenty-four, the first egg will come between 

 five and six o'clock in the evening, and the second between two and three o'clock in 

 the afternoon, missing one day. 



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