187 



or standards, (I consider none the better for that,) they are gentlemen and don't require 

 laws to keep them in order ; as to Standards, they are Fanciers and know what birds 

 ought to be. I have the honor to preside over a society of between fifty and sixty 

 members, gentlemen fanciers, and as touching their knowledge of the different varieties 

 of Pigeons, (as a society) is not equalled by any society under the sun, whether 

 learned or unlearned I consider it unfortunate. We have not printed rules and standards 

 at this time, I think we shall not go over another season without them. It is possible 

 1764 is a i-e-print, or the society, as I observed before, have existed many years, 

 prior to their ordinances being printed, which causes it to fall short, 6 years of a century, 

 according to the ordinances. I am at a loss to account for the society dropping the last 

 letter, e, in Ermine, it is possible it was spelt that way at the time ; it is possible, a 

 century back, they had Ermine birds with two colours, black and white, from which it 

 derived its name, as well as having Almonds, with the three colours, black, white and 

 yellow, from the yeUow or almond ground this bird derived its name Almond, and com- 

 pared to well broken Tulips, and may be the cause of confounding the " Ermine with 

 the Almond." Looking at the portrait that accompanies the ordinances as a frontispiece, 

 1764, I thought it was printed from the same plate that accompanies the work, dedi- 

 cated to John Matoe, Esq., being so much alike, (I am satisfied that the engraver 

 who did the one, executed the other, one has Simpson Sculp, the other no name.) On 

 more minutely examining the portraits, I observe the portrait of 1764, vrith fewer spots 

 on it, like an Ermine, or what we call a gay Mottle, the other portrait only one year after, 

 that accompanies the work dedicated to John Mayok, Esq., has a deal more feather 

 in the body of the bird, the hackles of both the birdp are very dark, they are 

 only neat heads, down beaks, not straight, with long legs. If the two engravings 

 were faithful likenesses of what the Ermines or Almonds were in 1764, or 1765, all I 

 can say they were nothing to boast of. Allow me to imagine for a moment : the idea 

 strikes me that John Mayor, Esq., was President of the Columbarian Society at these 

 dates, 1764 and 1765 ; that Daniel Girtin, Esq., was a member, that he wrote tne 

 work and dedicated it to John Mayor, Esq., President of the Society, by way of a 

 compliment ; afterwards he brought out the same work and attached his name to it. 

 On a moments reflection it is evident those who were members of the Columbarian 

 Society, say 1840 or 1850, could not have been members of the Columbarian Society 

 of 1764, the course of nature would not allow it, although the late Mr. Harry Edward 

 MoREY, Chairman of the City Columbarian Society, who was a member of the society 

 I am writing of, and an excellent old Fancier, used to say, however low at times his stud 

 of birds were reduced, he never was without Pigeons for the last sixty years, still this 

 would fall short of going back to 1760, which proves my opinion that the late celebrated 

 Columbarian Society was a continuation of this Society. 



(Eaton.) To my young Fancier, as great progress has been made in these birds from 

 the time MoORE Esq., wrote his work, 1735, to the time the work was dedicated to 

 Mayor, Esq., 1765, thirty years, further progress was made in these birds from 1765 to 

 1800, and very great progress has been made from 1800 to the present time, 1858. 1 now 

 putit toyou,myyoung Fancier, if you still go on progressing, what will the Almond Tum- 

 bler be in the year 1900, allowing 42 years. I shall never live to see the year 1900, but I 

 have my eye on some young Fanciers, who are about 25 years of age, that are likely to 

 see it, should they continue in the fancy, I see no reason why they should not, for 'tis said 

 " Once a Fancier, always a Fancier." As Fanciers have made progress for the last 123 

 years, it is possible you may make a little progress in the next 42 years, in the five 

 properties, you may breed a more perfect bird ; your greatest chance in improving the 

 bird will be the property feather from which the bird derives its name, "Almond," it 

 may be you will obtain in these 42 years a more rich bright yellow or almond colour, 

 with a more decided sound black, I scarce think, with the other four properties, we have 

 gone so far that we cannot go further, at the same time I have seen birds that wiU take 

 a great deal to beat, and especially to eclipse, the same opinion may have been enter- 

 tained by good Fanciers a century or two back, I believe I have seen as good Almonds 

 as ever was seen as touching the five properties, Head, Beak, Eye, Shape and Feather, 

 as any of my brother fanciers, still I never saw a perfect bird in the five properties, 

 some property or other was deficient ; a perfect bird is scarce to be expected where there 

 are five properties in it, and each property taken to an exceeding high standard, still 

 the aspiring young fancier should x^ress forward to gain the prize that very many other 



