25 



Beautiful, as those 'kept in a clearer atmosphere, which is certainly very much to 

 their disadvantage, and a great detraction from the beauty of their colours. 



OF THEIR DRINK. 



1 prefer pump water for tlie drink of the birds, conceiving it to be more bracing, 

 and less imjiregnated witli aiiimiilculae than cistern, or river water, coiiseqiienlly 

 less sulyect to putrescence in the hot water. They are very great drinkers, not 

 drinking like fowls by little sijis, but in continued draughts, like quadrupeds, 

 moving their mouths very quick, and swallowing the water greedily. Particular 

 care sbould be taken to keep their fountains or bottles clean, as it is not at all 

 improbiible that diseases may arise from the foul state of a fountain, which will 

 become greatly furred, and even stink, when tire weather is hot, if not frequently 

 cleaned. The fountains or bottles should not be filled too full in hot weather, so 

 that the water may be soon drank, and replaced with fresh, which will prevent 

 the possibility of its becoming putrid. Some put a lump of chalk into their water, 

 thi-* may be very well, where there is none but river water to be bad, but I should 

 think no great degree of astringency could be communicated to the water by it. 

 If any scouriiigs take place amongst the old birds, the Fancier may break plenty 

 of chalk and mortar on the floor, \yhich they will eat readily ; and as to the young 

 ones, he must adopt the remedy laid down on treating of this complaint. 



They are exceedingly fon'l of urine, and will drink it greedily, if they can get 

 at it; some Fanciers soak their loam with it, which induces them to eat a great 

 deal of it, and tliey will Scarcely ever leave the place where it is to be obtained. 

 This may be very well for those Fanciers who keep common birds and fly them, 

 but 1 objeit to it for the .■almond Tumbler, on the same ground as salt, viz that 

 of creating an artificial thirst to birds already sufficiently thirsty. Pigeons drink 

 much at all times, but particularly when feeding large young ones ; they then 

 run to the water, and take five or six hearty draughts, and immediately feed their 

 young; this assists in soaking the food, and also in the easy discharge of it from 

 the crop of the old ones into those of the young. 



OF PARTING THE BIRDS 



AFTEK THE BREEDING SEASON. 



I am a great advocate for this measure, having found my account in it, and 

 thence been thoroughly convinced of its beneficial effects, great utility, and 

 convenience ; and I sliall endeavour to convince the young Fantier also, of the 

 propriety and advantage of this plan, by a few observations to that point. In 

 the first place, a great deal of plague and trouble is saved to the Fancier, by the 

 impossibility of the birds going to nest, which they will do, if not parted, in spite 

 of all his efforts to prevent them ; be is then under the necessity of continuing them 

 another round, as the Fanciers term it, (though he is convinced of the impropriety 

 ' of it, at that late season of the year) to the great detriment of his bens, and 

 without a chance of bringing up what they may liaf>pen to hatch. In the next 

 place, should the weather set in cold, the birds remain a little inactive for the 

 moment as it were, but the first warm day that comes, though in December or 

 January, they are all alive, calling to nest, copulating, &c. whicli is very prejudicial 

 to both, but particularly to the hens, as it must necessarily tend to weaken and 

 enfeeble them, and make them what is called pappv, whicli is caused by their 

 being over salaciou-!, and having too frequent connection with the males without 

 going to nest, as they would do it the weather was not so cold. Thus we plainly 

 see, that the only advantage to be derived from keeping the birds together in, the 

 winter, is, ironically speaking, to spoil the hens. 



And further, as few Fanciers match their birds in the manner they were matched 

 the preceding season, from the number of young ones they may have bred, which 

 by the following season are become matchable, and occasion the necessity of 



