30 



A bird has sometimes a crossed or wiy beak, which is a very great disfigurement 

 and of course must be as great an imperfection. This may be remedied whilst the 

 bird is young, and running about the floor, and is to be done in the following 

 manner : — That part of the upper beak which projects over the side of the under 

 one, must be pared off neatly, and the like done to the lower beak, which in 

 general curves upward on the contrary side, something similar to the tush of a hog, 

 but they must not be pared so close as to make them bleed ; then give the upper 

 beak a gentle bend the contrary way to which it incUnes, serving the under beak 

 in the like manner, and by repeating this several times a day, and keeping the 

 curved parts of the beak constantly pared off, as they shoot again, the beak may 

 be got perfectly straight. This remedy will not answer for an old bird, as the horn 

 of the beak is not sufficiently pliable, but is become hard and brittle, and in the 

 attempt to bend, would snap of£ 



If the Fancier should have any young birds on the floor that are deserted, and 

 not fed by the old ones that should feed them, and are unable to feed themselves, 

 he must get a few beans down them once or twice a day, to prevent their losing 

 ground, and getting poor. This is to be done by putting some beans into his own 

 mouth, and then applying the beaks of the birds, at the same time opening them, 

 and as soon as the birds feel the beans, they will in general swallow them readily ; 

 but he must take care not to stop their breath by feeding them too long at a time, 

 their throats being very small just at the swallow, and one bean sticking in that 

 part would choak the bird and kill it ; he must also give them some water in the 

 same way, and occasionally put their beaks into the water in the fountain, and they 

 will soon learn to go to it themselves ; this is necessary only with such birds as 

 above described, that are backward from having been teft too soon. Birds that are 

 obliged to be thus treated, are very apt to get under the feet of the Fancier, as they 

 run to him directly he goes into the loft ; he should therefore put such into the 

 area, that he may not tread upon them, particularly if he has any person in the 

 loft with him. 



There is a Society of Gentlemen of great respectability formed for the encourage- 

 ment of the breed of the Almond Tumbler, under the title of The Coluhbarian 

 Society, who meet almost monthly throughout the year, to dine and spend a 

 cheerful day together, chiefly in conversation upon the Fancy, and to produce such, 

 young birds as they may have bred since their last meeting, for the inspeetion and 

 entertainment of the Society. These gentlemen have a subscription among them- 

 selves, for the purpose of giving premiums to such persons as shall have bred (that 

 season in which the subscription is made) the best birds, according to the standard 

 laid down by the Society. The prizes are generally four in number, and divided 

 into two classes, viz. Two cocks and two hens ; and the subscription is usually 

 ample enough to allow the first cock and hen, ten guineas each ; and the second, 

 five or six each. Sometimes there are six prizes, which are divided in the same 

 ratio, making the prize for the first bird in each class, considerably larger than the 

 others. These prizes are adjudged and determined by a committee of three 

 gentlemen chosen from among themselves, prior to the shew-day, who have not 

 any birds of their own, qualified as candidates for the prizes On the shew-day 

 the committee assemble, and the birds which are candidates for the prizes are then 

 put into the penns in an adjoining room, the cocks by themselves in one penn, and 

 the hens by themselves in another, whither the committee adjourn alone, to decide 

 upon the birds qualified to take the respective prizes, according to the standard 

 acknowledged by the members, which the committee have before them, to remind 

 and guide them in their decision. When they have made up their minds, the birds 

 are respectively marked, so as to ascertain which is first, second, &c. And the 

 members at large are then admitted into the room, to claim their own birds, and 

 receive a prize for such of them, as from the before-mentioned marks shall 

 appear to be entitled to one. There is sometimes also a private subscription, or 

 sweepstakes, amongst some of the members, for the best cock or hen bird that has 



