THE CONFESSIONS OF A FANCIER. 55 



us. Other visits followed ; more birds changed 

 hands. The visits became a weekly institution, 

 when much pigeon-lore was discussed in Mr. 

 Woodhouse's loft, and many secrets of breeding 

 and rearing were imparted to me. 



I was in high feather now. Was I not within 

 sight of the attainment of my dearly cherished 

 project — a stud of goodly shortfaced Baldheads ? 

 My batch of new purchases looked quite stylish 

 and handsome in my loft, their good qualities 

 being heightened by contrast — they were in com- 

 pany of many of their lowly and inferior kindred. 

 One creamy hen I received into my heart as an 

 especial favourite; the delicate tint of her plum- 

 age and the gracefulness of her deportment quite 

 captivated me. She was christened " Queen of 

 the Aviary." Better birds than these I thought 

 did not exist. 



Ah ! it is wonderful how much we have to 

 learn in life, and how little we know even taken 

 at our highest point of culture. The young 

 man who has just passed his B.A. at Cambridge 

 sells his text-books as waste-paper, and begins 

 life with a finished education. A finished edu- 

 cation, forsooth ! Education is never finished. 

 If the meagre stock of wisdom the young man 

 possesses, compared with the vast quantity of 



