84 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



cases, the nostrils being jammed together, the 

 birds must breathe through the mouth, if they 

 breathe at all, thus developing chronic bronchial 

 disorders. The constant running and irritation 

 which gives so much trouble is attributable to it. 

 The torture is extreme. The bird is invalided 

 for life. 



The practice is immoral. It is fraudulent ; it 

 is done to deceive. The manipulated bird enters 

 the show-pen as a natural specimen ; it takes 

 prize-money, and will perhaps be sold at a high 

 figure. If that is not immoral conduct, I should 

 like to know what you call cooking a balance- 

 sheet or forging a cheque ! The system is a 

 swindle, and only done to obtain money under 

 false pretences. I heard a Fancier-dealer say : 

 " They can do what they like, I shall make my 

 birds ; I can sell them." Wherever it goes the 

 made bird carries a lie on its face. 



The practice is repulsive. The bird is rendered 

 ugly, deformed by the vile tinkering and torturing 

 it undergoes. I hold if you break the natural 

 line in the contour of a bird you destroy its 

 beauty. Nature is a better designer than you 

 are. It is so in art. One false line or curve in 

 a picture destroys the whole of the pleasing effect. 

 You look at the picture and say : " Yes ; a very 



