ALMOND SUB-VARIETIES. 117 



large white iris gives the eye an arch look, peculiar to Short- 

 faced Tumblers. 



In breeding Almonds, the composite character of the breed 

 has always to be kept in view. The variety is not fixed as are 

 most others ; and those who purchase Almonds expecting them 

 to breed true, will be disappointed. The bird is a mixture 

 obtained by long patience and many crosses (this is true, which- 

 ever of the theories just now mentioned as to its origin may be 

 adopted), and hence, by the great law of reversion explained in 

 the chapter on Pedigree Breeding, the original component 

 elements which went to form it constantly tend to re-appear. 

 We have supposed these to be (1) black ; (2) red or yellow; 

 and (3) white. They crop out in breeding Almonds as follows : 



Kites represent the Black blood, and are black with more or 

 less of a reddish or yellowish bronze in the feather; or, as others 

 term it, a "fiery glow" through the black. Some may be 

 almost pure black, others more of a rich bronze. 



Agates may be either red or yellow. Strictly speaking an 

 Agate consists of one of these colours, with more or less of 

 white intermixed. The simple term of Agate is, however, 

 usually confined to birds showing the colour alone over the 

 body, with white in only the flights and tail. If white is freely 

 intermixed over the body, it is usual to call the bird an Agate 

 Splash. Sometimes again, no white at all is visible until very 

 careful examination, and some people call those birds " Whole- 

 feathers," or yellows or reds respectively; or when they have 

 a few white markings on the wings and back, as in the 

 " Mottled Tumblers " to be presently described, call these 

 "Mottles." Mr. Fulton has, however,* clearly pointed out 

 the difference, which it is very important to keep in mind, 

 because these birds are little use for breeding those Whole- 

 feathers or Mottles to which they seem to belong. On examina- 

 tion the whiter or Agate blood is found in some of the quill of 

 • " Book of PigeoiH" pp. 148, 149. 



