HINTS OS TRAINING. 139 



case of emergency may be sent up after the others and decoy 

 them home ; for this purpose they are all the better if poor flyers, 

 or not, strictly speaking, flyers at all, the only object being for 

 them to reach the others, and then, if possible, return at once. 

 It is, in fact, very dangerous to have birds fly too well. By 

 careful and regular practice they may easily be got to fly for 

 several hours together ; and if while they are up a strong wind 

 rises or a slight mist comes up, leaving the sky clear overhead, 

 they will often be lost altogether. For these reasons, when 

 they have once been well trained it is well to get them into as 

 heavy flesh as possible, and to divide the flight so as to fly 

 them on alternate days or fewer, when they will not be disposed 

 to fly so long. 



It is early enough to turn out young Tumblers at three or 

 four months old, and the plan usually followed is to toss two 

 or three at a time, along with the same number of old ones 

 kept back for that purpose, into the flight as they are returning 

 after a fly. The toss-up of the fresh birds will generally set off 

 the whole lot again for a few minutes, which will give the 

 young ones practice, and gradually accustom them to flying and 

 tumbling. Some young birds develop the tumbling propensity 

 very fast, and others much later; and it not unfrequently 

 happens that the later-developed ones make the best performers 

 in the end. But there must always be a strict drafting, and 

 every bird found to be an idler, after fair and due trial, must 

 be got rid of if the quality of the loft is to be preserved. 



In starting a new flight of Tumblers, we should advise first 

 getting a few common Dragoons or Antwerps accustomed to 

 fly round the locality. Then let young Tumblers be either pur- 

 chased or bred, and, when strong enough, let them out for half 

 an hour each day, hungry, so that they will not go far, but 

 only learn to observe the neighbourhood. They can easily be 

 tempted in with a little food. Then shut them up a day or 

 two, after which let them fly with the Dragoons or Antwerps 



