78 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



low-tail coat, orating the savants of the club. 

 The Carrier is flighty, wild, and fretful. He in- 

 spires awe and respect, at a distance. He is a 

 grand bird, but he takes his grandeur sadly. 

 The Almond is tame and sociable ; stands trust- 

 fully on your hand ; struts fearlessly at your 

 feet ; submits condescendingly to a little petting. 

 It is an amiable bird, and quite companionable. 



As a sub-variety of the Tumbler class it is not 

 of long descent. It did not come over with the 

 Conqueror, nor establish itself in these islands 

 during the ascendancy of the Saxons. It is a 

 modern production ; and a clear case of evolu- 

 tion by cultivation, having been produced from the 

 common Tumbler. Many foreign favourites of 

 insipid colouring and nameless grace have been 

 introduced into our English lofts, but their novelty 

 is their only merit. The Almond is indigenous 

 to the soil, — it is an English bird. Mr. Jayne, an 

 enthusiastic breeder of the Tumbler, when Presi- 

 dent of the National Peristeronic Society, deli- 

 vered an address to the members. His subject 

 was " The Almond Tumbler," and, among other 

 wise things, he said : " You are aware my only 

 hobby has been a short-faced Pigeon, and of all 

 the varieties none can equal in my idea the 

 Almond Tumbler; if for no other reason, I 



