175 



them in going to nest. I will now return to the subject of their drink. Years back 

 I put rue in their water, I fancied they did not like the rue any more than we like 

 physic, I know they did not drink so much. It may be I made it too bitter and over- 

 did this as everything else, (prior to my attempting to write a treatise on the breeding 

 and management of the Almond Tumbler, in this I caught a tartar.) There is not a 

 shadow of a doubt in my mind, provided I had the abihty, strictly adhering to truth, 

 derived from observation that I shovdd overdo this treatise also ; unfortunately for me, 

 I see no fear of that, owing to my want of ability, therefore my young and inexperienced 

 Fancier you must take the will for the deed, by having it under-done. 



557. As a preventive is acknowledged to be better than a cure, and having endeavoured 

 to instruct you how to keep yom- pigeons free from diseases by cleanliness and good 

 management. I should not have called your attention to the subject of their complaints 

 were it not to have mentioned a case that happened in my aviary, I had a celebrated 

 black mottled cock (well known by many gentlemen in the Fancy by the name of " the 

 schoolmaster") it was seized with a violent attack of vertigo, or meagrims ; not 

 knowing what to do, I put it in a basket, took it to one of the most experienced gentle- 

 men in the Fancy, living at Highbury, he said in all his experience he never had seen 

 one so "drunk," as he called it, advised me to put it in the dark. I thought it stood 

 in need of something more than putting in the dark, so taking it to my fflend, the 

 chemist, and showing him the bird, we consulted what to do, came to the determination 

 if the bird did drink, it should drink that which the chemist prepared for it, as it 

 should have nothing else. The bird did not like the preparation, but thirst beat it, not 

 being able to get anything else, was compelled to drink when it became thirsty, and 

 that freely, it continued in this state about a fortnight, without appearing to get better : 

 it pained me to see it in this condition ; after attending a show, and being assured there 

 was not any cure for it, if there was, the chances were so great against its breeding, 

 under these circumstances I made up my mind to kUl it. While dressing myself in the 

 morning I heard my man coming down stairs, I ordered him to kill the bird ; before 

 he got to the kitchen, where the bird was kept by the fire, I called out to him not to 

 kiU it till I had seen it, we both looked at it (he was a good fancier) and thought it 

 better, we shook the basket the bird kept its feet, from this time the bird gradually im- 

 proved and became as well as ever. 



558. There was something remarkable about the hen I matched to this cock. A 

 Fancier, whom I knew, sure he wished me well as a young Fancier, called upon me one 

 evening, stated he had a black mottle hen, so good he could not afford to buy a cock 

 that was a match, should like me to have the hen, he was sure it would do me good ; 

 I purchased it. Being very green in the Fancy, took it to a Grand Show, put it in 

 the pen to hear its merits or demerits, knew as much about the properties of the bird 

 as the bird knew about me, being so " Raw " in the Fancy at that time ; the first re- 

 mark made was by one of the most spirited, I believe not second best, with regard to 

 judgment, to any Fancier living ; his remark was, as soon as I placed the bird in the 

 pen, " I will give fifty shillings for that black mottle hen." I did not expect to hear 

 that, therefore reasoned silently, if the bird was worth to him fifty shillings with his 

 great experience, what must it be worth to me ? Being desirous of making progress in 

 the fancy, I therefore declined parting with the bird, although a stiU higher price was 

 offered. Looking back to my early days in the Fancy I am sure I oftener got a good 

 bird by accident than by judgment : the inexperienced Fancier, when he becomes ex- 

 perienced, can recollect how he has been treated by Fanciers, who ought to have en- 

 couraged a young Fancier than otherwise. Having occasion to have some alterations 

 in my aviary and lofts, amongst the workmen was a carpenter who was a flying Fan- 

 cier, shewing him my birds when we came to the black mottle hen, he said, "You 



bought that of Mr, ." I asked him, how he knew that ? He sold it to him for a 



half a crown, as it did not fly well with his bald-heads, that a charwoman, knowing he 

 kept pigeons, brought it to him if he would buy it, he gave her one shilling for it. She 

 said she picked it up, while it was eating oats from horse-dung in the Holloway Road, 

 one bitter snowy winter's morning ; the poor bird was nearly starved, might have 

 perished, had not this good woman saved it. There is not the shadow of doubt this 

 beautiful black mottled hen made its escape from some good fancier's aviary or loft in 

 Holloway or the neighbourhood ; the bird could not fly well owing to having been 

 confined. 



