124 PIGEONS AND AT>L ABOUT TIIE^t. 



aie good. There are many of them in this country tluit 

 are tlie equals of wliites in all points, and if it were not fur 

 those foul feathers that wreck the hopes of so many breeders 

 they would be found in nearly every fan loft. The same 

 general properties govern saddles, that govern other fans. 



.SILKY FANTAILS. 



The Silky, or Laced fan, has not much of a foot-hold in 

 America. They are exactly like the "Friesland" or "frizzly" 

 chicken, the fibre of the feather being something like that of 

 the ostrich. The Silky cannot flj, from the peculiar confor- 

 mation of its wings, and it is therefore at a disadvantage in a 

 loft with a large flight, with an entrance that must be reach- 

 ed by flying. They are very pretty birds, and are so odd as 

 to attract much attention. They seem to be ''accidents" as 

 the best one 1 ever saw came from a pair of sound whites 

 that never before, and never afterwards br-ed another silky. 



They are hard to kee]i clean, as their feathers seem to 

 catch every particle of dust that is flying. To bleed good 

 Silkies, do not mate a pair together, but cross-mate tlieni 

 with a plain jjair that are inclined to loose feather. I believe 

 that beautiful colored Laces can be produced by simply 

 crossing white laced hens with colored cocks. 



TAIL AND BODY MARKED FANTAILS. 



We now have plenty of tail fans, i. e. whites with colored 

 tails, and body fans, i. e. colored bodies with white tails. 



I consider them "accidents" as they croj) out of saddles, 

 and even out ofj>lain birds. Sometimes in making a black 

 and white cross, we get a tail or a body fan. 



Most specimens are very poor, tliough I have occasionally 

 seen a grand bird come out, and generally greatly to the 

 breeders surprise. 



