iiS Fancy Pic^eons. 



feathers seem to have grown away from the others, and are not in the 

 usual gradation. " The plumage is close fitting, and marked in all colours 

 as follows : The whole head is white, the line of marking being the breadth 

 of two straws below the eyes ; the tail with its covert and six flights a 

 side are white." I am not sure from the description whether this variety 

 is white or coloured on belly and thighs. Their flight is described thus : 

 ''The characteristic of these pigeons is their flight; it is true they never 

 fly farthe-r than from roof to roof, but not for a single yard without 

 flapping their wings together, so that it sounds afar ; this is particularly 

 done by the cock when courting his hen. A good beater must beat a ring 

 round her from five to six times, i.(\, flying around in a circle right and 

 loft, making a loud noise by beating his wings together. The hen beats 

 likewise but less strongly ; both beat most in spring. In autumn their 

 flights are so much beaten down that thoy cannot fly ; and they easily 

 meet with accidents. Their quite ragged pinions are then sometimes 

 pulled out, which does not hurt them when done only onco in a year. 

 Those are most valuable which flap much and yet preserve their pinions 

 well. The young ones begin to flap as soon as fledged. The ringbeator 

 ^^ a healthy very lively and quarrelsome pigeon, cansing much disturb- 

 ance in the loft, and unfitted to live with other pigeons. It is also very 

 fruitful, and it is a matter of wonder that it is not more wprcad. Besides 

 good ringbeating, we require in this pigeon a considerable size of body, 

 fine bright colours, and pure markings. The price of purely marked 

 black and yellow ones is several marks a pair ; tho red, mostly bad in 

 colour, are cheaper." 



The ringbeater is a pigeon that would be valued by many in this 

 country, where it was formerly not uncommon. It is the same bird 

 that WillughViy v^rote of as the smiter, and which IMoore calls the 

 finnikin ; though evidently now bred for colour and marking as well 

 as ringbeating. It was no doubt produced by selection from such as 

 had its peculiar flight in a modified degree. In a loft of tumblers, 

 some lively cock will often be found having a good deal of the above 

 description in his flight. 





