158 



the preceding season, from the number of young ones they have bred, which by the 

 folio wiog season are become matchable, and occasion the necessity of altering the old 

 matches, and from other causes, the advantage of parting the birds in the winter, is 

 here, I think, particularly conspicuous ; it wiU. enable him to cross-match all his birds 

 without the least difficulty, as they will cross-match more readily when they have been 

 asunder two or three months, than when they have been kept together 



481. When I have occasion to cross-match two or three pairs of birds in the height 

 of the breeding season, on account of their produce not pleasing me, I have frequently 

 had. difficulty in obtaining my point, from the strong recollection the birds have of each 

 other ; though I have at last succeeded, the moment the hens have been turned into 

 the loft they have flown to their former pens and mates, it was a considerable time 

 before they were reconciled to their new mates and abodes. To prevent this, the new 

 matched pair should be fastened in their own pen, taking care the cock has the same 

 pen as he had before. This evil will be remedied by parting the loft, the Fancier may 

 then put a pair or two of the cross-matched birds into the contrary side to which they 

 have been accustomed, by this means avoid the intercourse that must take place between 

 the new matched birds, and their former mates. 



482. Another thing is necessary to be attended to by the Fancier, is cross-matching, 

 viz. — ^he should have two or three matching pens in some part of his house, if not too 

 inconvenient, in order that the birds he is about to cross-match, may be out of the 

 hearing of their former mates, and of the other birds in the loft, which will greatly 

 facUitate their speedy matching to their new mates. They wUl frequently be a long time 

 in matching in the loft, where they can both see and hear each other, sometimes will 

 not match at all. 



483. If they continue obstinate, a handful of rape or hemp seed should be given them 

 occasionally ; if the cock is violent, fights his hen, an open lath partition should be put 

 across the pen, to separate them, that they may only see each other, they will soon 

 match by this method, which will be ascertained by the hen sweeping her tail, nodding 

 her head, &c., which is called shewing. 



OF THEIK DUNG. 



484. Their Dung is so valuable, in so great requisition, if it is preserved genuine, as 

 little straw and other rubbish as possible sufiered to get amongst it, tanners and others 

 wUl give five shillings per sack for it, will fetch it whenever they are informed there is 

 any ready for them. It is used by the tanners to separate the hair from the hides, 

 being of an extremely hot nature, answering their piirpose better than other things 

 they make vise of. It is also an excellent manure for cold, wet, and clayey land, if it 

 could be procured in any quantity, the farmers of such sorts of land would give almost 

 any price for it. 



OF THEIR DISEASES. 



485. The Almond Tumblers are not naturally liable to many diseases ; the majority 

 of those which do attack them, I attribute to a want of cleanliness, and good manage- 

 ment in their masters, if taken care of in these respects, they will live nine or ten 

 years, and sometimes longer, and are generally taken off at last by the moult. 



486. The first and most fatal that has come under my observation is, what is com- 

 monly understood and called by the name of the Canker, (see paragraph 625.) This dis- 

 order is much confined to the young birds in. the nest, does not very frequently attack 

 the old ones, as it originates in the oesophagus or throat, it seems to me to arise from 

 the putrefaction of a redundancy of the soft meat, that putrescency communicating 

 itself to the throat, causing a core, I am inclined to think, it ought with greater pro- 

 priety to be called %sore throat, and perhaps, from the intolerable fcetor emitted from 

 the throat and crop, not improperly a putrid sore throat ; if the complaint is suffered to 

 go on without any attempt to relieve the bird, the core will enlarge, the throat swell, 

 and the bird soon die of suffocation. 



487. Some people pick off the core, or cut it out, this is of no use, but fatal, as the 

 sore soon becomes larger than before ; could it all be cut clean out, the bird would die 

 shortly, if not in a few minutes. 



