185 



arranged his Observations infinitely better than I shall. Having his permission to make 

 whatever use I thought fit of his Notes in the margin, the thought struck me it was 

 pregnant with danger if I apprised him of my intention to publish his Observations, and 

 would thank him, if not too much trouble, to put them in that form he would Hke them 

 to appear in print ; having permission in my possession I did not like to run the risk, 

 he might for ought I know have withdrawn his permission. Should it so happen in your 

 experience from Observations, the idea has struck you that you have witnessed things, 

 that are worthy to be handed down to posterity among Pigeon Fanciers, and that it is 

 not your intention to publish a Work, if you will forward them to me, should there be 

 merit in them, I will take care they come to light among the gentlemen of the Fancy, 

 and you shall have the credit as touching Originality. 



TAKEN FROM AN OLD WOEK. 



ARTICLES : 



I. The Members of this Society to consist of and to meet the 

 in each Mouth from 7 o'Clock till 10 in the Evening. 



II. Every Member to pay a Subscription of on or before the 

 Meeting in each Year, and in default, to be excluded for the season. 



III. No person to be admitted unless proposed and seconded by a Member on one 

 Evening, and balloted for at the following Meeting, and should he have black 

 balls, such persons not to be admitted. 



IV. Each Member to Subscribe for Cock or Hen, or for both if it be his choice, and 

 the Money paid at the time of Subscribing. 



V. Every Member admitted after the Meeting Night in each Season to 

 pay for his admission. 



VI. Each Member to stand President for One Night, in rotation, when called upon, 

 if not present to be fined 



VII. Premiums for breed of Birds to be settled on or before the Night 

 in each Year, and entered in the Cash Book, and aU Wagers made in this Society to 

 be paid when decided, and half the Money given to the Treasiu'er to be spent on the 

 Show Day of each Season. 



VIII. Any Member present not producing a Bird of his own Breed on the 



to forfeit and showing a Bird not his own and if 



any Birds be sold, the buyer and seller to pay each to the Stock. 



(Eaton.) — I have seen Rules of a Society, brought out by a parcel of shop keepers, 

 that appeared to me as though brought out to bird-lime the House of Lords or 

 Commons. No doubt, as a Fancier, you have heard of the peg-ing of Chaffinchers or 

 bat-fowling of Birds, as you neither wish to bepeg'd with bird-lime or bat-folder, neither 

 do I wish an injunction in Chancery lodged against me for taking in vain the rules or 

 articles of this Aristocratic Society. I am aware there are some men, who wish to be 

 thought Fanciers, who would not like to sit in a room with Fanciers unless they sported 

 a little bit of black satin or a velvet waistcoat ; I consider this ignorant or uncharitable 

 feeling was, in a great measure, the cause that accelerated the defunct of the once cele- 

 brated original " Columbarian Society," to whom we owe so much. There are times, 

 seasons, and places for various grades of society ; if a man is only a gentleman, and not 

 a Fancier, let him only keep gentlemen's society ; if a man is a Fancier, let him keep 

 Fanciers society, and conduct himself as a gentleman ; if a man is a self-created proud 

 aristocrat, speaking high sounding words, suiting the action to the words, both added 

 together, the sense signifying nothing, my advice to this proud self-made, and self- 

 esteemed aristocrat, is to stay at home and look after his Chandler-shop. I am sensible 

 there is another class of men — I have made a mistake, I should have more properly 

 have called them fidgetty old ladies, who assumes that a man, whatever his station in 

 life, whether a Peer or Artisan, must be an incorrigible blackguard that keeps Pigeons. 

 I will not waste your or my time here with these nincompoops — see page 4, paragraph, 

 &c., &c." How different was the case with the spirited and celebrated 



