IV, 



among his brother Fanciers. Tlie value of the birds, as usual with matters of 

 taste, will depend much on the estimated qualities of the birds ; and if they should 

 be of extraordinary beauty and excellence in the five properties, the price will be 

 proportionably high, as there are many gentlemen in the fancy_ who know how 

 to appreciate a good bird, and do not hesitate to give a good price for it ; there- 

 fore, you must not expect to obtain a bird for five pounds, that othfir fanciers 

 would give ten pounds for. 



I have now arrived at a difficult point, and that is how' to instil the knowledge 

 of a bird possessing good properties into the mind of the young Fancier when he 

 sees it, and should he be anxious to purchase the bird, I should advise_ him to 

 Consider whether he really stands in need of the bird, and believes it will improve 

 his stud or strain of birds, if so, buy it at any price, for it cannot be dear. From 

 my experience, combined with the conversation of some of the best and most 

 experienced Fanciers, the only way to obtain an extraordinary bird, is to give 

 more than it is worth, comparatively speaking. The first time I attended a Grand 

 Show, there was, as I thought, such --^ particularly pretty neat looking pair of 

 birds, nothing gaudy about them ; they appeared so remarkably neat and quiet, 

 that the thought struck me of Friends or Quakers ; I became anxious to obtain 

 this pair of birds, and seeing the gentleman to whom the birds belonged, I 

 politely asked him if he considered it a fair question whether he would part with 

 them, and he as politely, said he would as he was desirous of bringing as many 

 gentlemen into the fancy as possible, and would favor me being a young and 

 inexperienced Fancier, and the price would be five pounds ; he greatly astonished 

 me when he uttered "five pounds," for if he had said five shillings, I think at that 

 time I should have had spirit enough ~in me to have ofiered four shillings and 

 sixpence ; but since then, I have had the honor of that gentleman's acquaintance, 

 have been repeatedly in his aviary, and seen the pair of birds I am writing of, 

 and after having acquired some knowledge of the Almond Tumbler, my experience 

 has taught me that the birds were worlh more money than he had asked ; for, in 

 fact, they were a pair of extremely short faced and beautiful Golden Duns, bred 

 from a splendid pair of Almonds, but I was at the time too inexperienced to know it ; 

 and here I would particularly caution the young Fancier, on entering the societies 

 where the shows take place, not to give oiFence to any of its members, by asking what 

 do you want for that bird ? you would be treated with contempt and not get an 

 answer, for you might as well ask some gentlemen to part with half their fortunes, 

 as a bird they highly estimate. But there are ways of doing things without 

 giving offence, and I think the best way to put the question to the owner of the 

 bird, is politely to ask him, whether he considers it a fair question, if he would 

 part with the bird, and then you will receive a pqlite answer. 



The best and cheapest bird I ever bought cost me five pounds, why I say the 

 cheapest, is, because I bred twelve young ones from him, and all good birds. I 

 have given more, and know some gentlemen that have given still higher prices 

 than myself, and I saw a few evenings since, at one of the societies, a Pigeon, the 

 gentleman to whom it belonged, stated he would not take twenty pounds 

 for it. But to return to the young Fancier, I would advise him to purchase 

 good birds, and, if he is acquainted with experienced Fanciers, to solicit their 

 assistance in obtaining birds that will be serviceable to him ; if, on the other hand, 

 he would rather trust to his own judgment, all 1 can say, is, I wish him luck, 

 for it will prove a lottery, as the most experienced Fanciers have acquired their 

 knowledge with care, trouble, and expense; neither can the young and inex- 

 perienced expect to escape unscathed, till time and experience shall improve his 

 eye, and mature his judgment. 



This bird is called the "Almond Tumbler" by the gentlemen of the Fancy ; in my 

 researches I have traced it back to the year 1735, and as the gentlemen of the 

 Fancy have assigned this name to this truly beautiful bird, after a mature con- 

 sideration I think it would be injudicious to alter it, for if a meeting of all the 



