TJie Tumbler. 



'5' 



oonntry than of all other kinds put together, and that the aeoumulation 

 of genuine pleasure derived by their owners from them exceeds that from 

 all other kinds. Many a fancier has begun with tumblers, and but few 

 refuse to provide a place for their first favourites, into whatever other 

 channels their fancy may roam. 



The tumbler derives its name from its inherited propensity of turning 

 over backwards in its flight. "What causes the tumbler to turn in this 

 way is not known, though many theories have been propounded to account 

 for it. Some well bred birds never attain to it, while others carry it to 

 such an exoess that they cannot rise from the ground a couple of feet. 

 These then become known as ground tumblers. They often resume 

 flying and tumbling in the air, and again become grounders. House 

 tumblers are such as can rise from the ground, but which often tumble in 

 their flight across a room. They do not, however, always perform when 

 required to do so. Air tumblers sometimes become so proficient and 

 systematic in their performances, that they change hands for ten shillings 

 each and upwards among poor men. Such birds will sometimes go off 

 tumbling and fall in value to the normal price of a shUling, and after 

 remaining very ordinary ones for a year or two, suddenly become good 

 ones again, and rise in value in proportion. Many a good tumbler has 

 never given a turn till two or three years old, and some can never get 

 more than half over in their attempts to turn. I certainly think, that in 

 the case of ordinary tumblers, tumbling is a real pleasure to them, and 

 that they do it voluntarily ; but that the habit grows on some birds to 

 such an extent, that they either cannot rise from the ground, or if in mid 

 air they lose command of themselves occasionally, and, striking against 

 some projection, so destroy themselves. 



There are many styles of tumbling, and the one most generally admired 

 is that in which the bird turns over once at a time and often, but without 

 losing way in its flight. At the same time, those that rise and fall in the 

 air by alternate soaring and rolling, each roll being composed of several 

 backward turns, are also liked by many people. Some birds make the 

 most extraordinary motions in the air, turning at right angles in their 

 flight, and throw themselves about so rapidly that the eye can scarcely 

 follow their turns. High-fiying tumblers generally tumble only when 

 ascending or descending ; but they sometimes go so high, in fact, quite 

 out of sight, that it is impossible to follow them in their movements. I 



