Short-faced Baldheads and Beards. 



179 



because it was plain from their appearance that they had been tampered 

 with, and the younjj ones they produced showed it clearly. Beards are 

 even of lower quality, as judged by the short-faced standard than balds, 

 and the only colours in existence at all good are the blues and silvers. 

 Mr. Woodhouse has bred some of the best. As for black, red, and 

 yellow reaUy short-faced beards, I have never seen any. Beards ought to 

 be marked exactly the same as the flying ones. 



All short-faced tumblers of high quality have a difficulty in shedding 

 their flight and tail feathers during their moult. The feathers will grow 

 to their complete length without bursting from their sheaths, and if 

 allowed to do so their fibres will rot. The upper skin of the feather 

 should be scraped off with the thumb naU as it continues to grow, and 

 the inside core of the feather carefully removed. By this means the 

 feathers may be preserved good. 



It is difficult to see what is to be the future of the short-faced tumbler 

 in aU its varieties. From what I know of human nature, I do not expect 

 that the making or shaping of skulls will stop short of the millennium, 

 whenever that happy time may come. I know, however, that a great 

 many men will not compete with such practices, so I suppose the short- 

 face will be left to those whom it may concern. If judges would lay stress 

 on feather, carriage, fineness and style of beak, and eye, insisting on the 

 beak being natural, and ignoring the least sign of a shaped head, it would 

 be the means of raising the short-face in general estimation. It has 

 undoubtedly faUen from its high position, but being naturally a high 

 class pigeon it deserves justice. What its true position among fancy 

 pigeons is, must be left to individual fancy ; in my opinion it was ranked 

 too high in being placed alongside of the pouter and carrier, or even 

 immediately after them. 



-e^^^fCi 



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