52 



The Tumbler is bred in all the usual colors of pigeons, i. e., 

 white, black, red, yellow, dun, silver, blue bar, saddle, also bald 

 head, rose-wing, white-side, badge, beard, etc. He may b€ 

 either long-faced or of the short-beaked variety ; clean-legged, 

 stocking-legged, or muf¥ed, and many pleasing combinations of 

 the foregoing colors and other characteristics. As a matter of 

 fact, you are aware that this bird turns backwaird somersaults, 

 hence the name Tumbler. The mode and surroundings in which 

 he chooses to perform this feat divides his family into still fur- 

 ther sub-divisions, i. e., outside and inside Tumblers. By out- 

 side Tumblers we refer to a bird that flies to sorne height before 

 starting his daring performance. The inside Tumbler is a bird 

 that will turn a somersault near the ground, thus making it pos- 

 sible to do so within the aviary. This bird is popularly known 

 as the parlor Tumbler. 



Again the class is divided as to the nurnber of somersaults, 

 for instance, singles, as the word implies, a bird that turns a 

 single somersault; doubles, the meaning of which is evident; 

 roller, a performer that flies to a dizzy height and commences 

 the roll, continuing same until he comes near to or as indeed 

 is frequently the case, in actual contact with the ground or build- 

 ings. In some instances making it hazardous to allow such a 

 specimen to perform. 



This is by no means the limit of the classifications of this 

 most interesting bird, but it will suffice to recall to the mind of 

 the reader the truly wide possibilities in breeding a pigeon of so 

 diverse characteristics. Another very strong point in favor of 

 the Tumbler is his remarkable vitality. The past winter was 

 characterized by much snow. It was necessary to house Ban- 

 tams, and indeed larger poultry, quite frequently for weeks at a 

 time ; however, this seemed quite superfluous in the case of the 

 Tumbler. A number of the clean-legged variety which the 

 author allowed to fly at liberty during this time would, with im- 

 punity, walk about on the snow, the temperature near zero, flip- 

 ping the dry snow first one way and then the other in search 

 of hemp seed tossed to them for the purpose of observing their 

 actions. 



I have yet to see the first pair of Tumblers that are not good 

 feeders, and most of them are excellent feeders, rearing their 



yom^ wit-hovit anv troq!?k what?:^ocYer, Thi? is ft very essentia} 



