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pair of good young ones off from some other pair, that are heginning to deiert 

 them. Should he not like to keep a pair of this description, he must discard the 

 faulty hird ; but before he does this, he should examine it, to see if it has any 

 vermin, as they are sometimes the cause of barrenness. 



OF WASHING. 



The Fancier should take notice, that nothing contributes more to cleanliness 

 than frequent washings, in which the birds delight amazingly, and plunge into 

 the water with great eagerness ; but this must not be permitted to be done 

 in a slovenly way, if it is, they will not be benefitted. The pan should be put 

 into the area, and the birds made to wash there, that the waste water may run 

 away, and not be suffered to wash in the loft, and make a. wet place, that will 

 not be dry in three or four days, by which they will draggle tbeir flights and 

 tails, and make themselves more dirty, instead of cleaner. The water should 

 not be given them more than twice a week, or three times at most, for if they 

 have it too frequently, they will not use it. Another inconvenience that would 

 result from their constantly having water to wash in, would be, that some would 

 be washing one day, and some another, the area would never be dry, and the 

 same evil would arise as if they were permitted to wash on the floor of the loft, 

 for nothing soils their plumage so much as constant wet, particularly their flights 

 and tails. I think the cistern water for this purpose is best, because it is softer 

 and more likely to assist in removing the filth from their plumage, than pump-water. 



OF FLYING THE BIRDS. 



Some Fanciers prefer flying their birds, but to this I cannot assent, either in 

 town or country, more particularly in town, as they are exti-emely weak and timid, 

 and the least blast of wind would blow them down the chimneys ; or one bird 

 playing up against another, would have the same effect, and the Fancier would 

 be continually losing birds of value, to his great mortification, and be constantly 

 getting into disgrace with his neighbours, and perhaps into difficulties, add to 

 this, that the birds would be ten times more dirty, and washing is of no use, 

 therefore, as no advantage whatever can possibly be derived from it, I object to 

 it entirely. In the country it is different, because it is clean, and may benefit the 

 plumage ; but even there, I would not fly them constantly, as it tends to make 

 them coarse, which is the reverse of what is wished to be obtained in these birds) 

 viz. — delicacy ; I should therefore fly them only occasionally, which would answer 

 all the purposes of keeping them healthy, and beautiful in their plumage. And 

 a further reason is, that it tends to make them wild, instead of what is so desirable, 

 perfectly familiar. Some have doubted whether the Almonds will tumble in the 

 air when flying like the common Tumblers, but I can solve that doubt, by assuring 

 them, that they will, and that I once had one of my own, that tumbled remarkably 

 well, and very clean, never losing any way in the air, so as to be distanced by the 

 rest of the flight, which is a great perfection in tumbling. 



OF LOAM. 



The birds should be furnished with loam, of which they are remarkably foiid, 

 which should be put into a garden or flower-pot, and well soaked, and when the 

 water has drained off, and the loam become solid, lay the pot on its side, and they 

 will eat the loam very greedily, especially if there is a little salt in it, of which 

 they are also immoderately fond ; hut as they are already of a hot nature, and 

 sufficiently thirsty, I do not approve of increasing that thirst -by artificial means, 

 unless some good reason could be given for it, and which I confess I am at a 

 loss to find out. Some Fanciers say, that obliging them to drink is very useful 

 to them ; but I cannot say I agree with them, as it seems to me to stand to 

 reason, that a bird will drink sufficiently if it can get it, without any unnatural 



