112 THE PRACTICAI. PIGEON KEEPER. 



1858, and this would carry his memory back before the time of 

 Wittdus, who wrote in 1802 ; his testimony is therefore of 

 weight by itself, however apparently improbable. But Mr. 

 Lyell adds that during a visit to London in 1878, he found in 

 a fresh copy of Windus, which he picked up, an undated hand- 

 bill apparently (from the type) of about 1800, offering fifteen 

 guineas reward for twelve Tumblers stolen from Mr. Parr of 

 Bethnal Green. These were fully described, and included 

 Almonds, Splashes, a dun hen, black Splash cock, and red cock ; 

 but the remarkable thing is, that whUe some are described as 

 having a " fine straight beak '' as now, others have a " short 

 down beak." This, coupled with Mr. Morey's statement, is very 

 strong evidence that the short round head of the African Owl 

 really may have had something to do with the development of 

 the Short-faced Tumbler. 



We have discussed this subject at some length because of its 

 exceeding interest, both in regard to the bird itself, and to 

 pigeon development generally. We now turn to the practical 

 description of the several varieties. 



The Ahnond Tumbler is by common consent placed at the 

 head of the Short-faced varieties, and has done more to raise the 

 tone of the pigeon-fancy than any other breed. While many 

 other pigeons too often got into low company, the Almond 

 seemed from the first to attract the sympathies and enlist the 

 interest of gentlemen, and was brought to perfection by private 

 Societies of the highest class, whose lineal descendants exist in 

 London at the present day. The origin of the peculiar "feather" 

 of the Almond, as we have already seen, cannot be positively de- 

 termined ; aU that can be averred with certainty is the fac<^ 

 that somehow or other the ancient breeders — Eastern or Wes- 

 tern, or both — did manage so to blend together the three colours 

 of yellow, white, and black, as that each one of the large quUl 

 feathers should show that mixture of the three, to which the 



