io6 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



member ; he had pulled out a sound tooth, its 

 next door neighbour. 



" Ben Fuller, what have you done ? " ex- 

 claimed the fond mother ; " you have pulled the 

 wrong tooth out of my poor dear boy's jaw." 



Ben Fuller got a jacketing for his clumsiness, 

 and mother wound up her wrathful oration by 

 saying to me in tenderest tones : " Willie, you 

 had better have the other tooth out while you 

 are here — remember the Pigeons. I did re- 

 member them, and consequently sat down again, 

 meek as a martyr, and for the Pigeons' sake out 

 came the right tooth at last. Hurrah ! I had 

 won the first pair of my pets, which still remain 

 my pets to this day in the year of our Lord 

 1886, just fifty-two years afterwards. 



I have kept Shortfaced Tumblers about fifty 

 years, so I am familiar with the birds and the 

 birds are familiar with me. My pets are Balds 

 and Beards. It is said by some Fanciers of the 

 present day that they have never seen any of 

 those equal in head and beak to the Almond 

 Tumbler. A great many Balds and Beards have 

 been bred by myself equal to the Almond. With 

 them I have won the silver cup at Boston and 

 Crystal Palace for the best Tumbler of any variety, 

 beating Almonds, Kites, and Agates. 



