244 THE CROSSING, AC, OF PIGEONS AND FOWLS. 



scribing the shortfaced Almond Tumbler, says, 'There 

 are many first-rate fanciers who are particularly partial 

 to what is called the goldfinch beak which is very beau- 

 tiful; others say, take a full-sized round cherry, then 

 take a barley-corn, and judiciously placing and thrust- 

 ing it into the cherry, form as it were your beak ; and 

 that is not all, for it will form a good head and beak, 

 provided, as I said before, it is judiciously done; others 

 take an oat; but as I think the goldfinch beak the hand- 

 somest, I would advise the inexperienced fancier to get 

 the head of a goldfinch, and keep it by him for his 

 observation.' Wonderfully different as is the beak of 

 the rock-pigeon and goldfinch, undoubtedly, as far as 

 external shape and proportions are concerned, the end 

 has been nearly gained." 



When it is remembered, that, not merely is the beak, 

 in this variety, moulded according to the fashion, 

 caprice, and fancy of man, in violation of the true pro- 

 portion which is essential to physiological integrity; 

 that, not merely does it lack, from eighteen to twenty- 

 eight (of the forty) tail-feathers, of the Fantail vari- 

 ety, together with its <power of erection of the same ; 

 that, not merely does it lack " the wonderful develop- 

 ment of the head," "the greatly elongated eyelids," the 

 " very large external orifice to the nostrils," and " the 

 wide gape of mouth," of the Carrier ; that, not merely, 

 also, does it lack the " great size," " long, massive 

 beak," "large feet," the "very long neck," and the 

 " very long wings, and tail " of the Runt ; that, not 

 merely does it lack the " much elongated body and 

 legs," and " the enormously developed crop," of the 

 Pouter; that, not merely does it lack the "line of 

 reversed feathers, down the breast," of the Turbit ; 



