THE ENGLISH CAKF.IER. 79 



In colour it is more usual to match up a black and a dun than to pair two 

 blacks or two duns together. It is generally supposed that a more brilliant black 

 results from this mode of breeding than when two blacks are matched up. As 

 pied Carriers are not so much valued as those that are self coloured, the white 

 birds are generally kept distinct. 



It is a singular fact that red or yellow Carriers rarely, if ever, make their appear- 

 ance at our shows. It is said that numerous attempts have been made to breed 

 yellow Carriers, by crossing heavy yellow Dragons with dun Carriers, but always 

 without success ; the yellow birds produced, even after careful selection for some 

 years, being always very deficient in the various properties. Never having tried 

 the experiment, we cannot speak from personal experience, but should imagine the 

 difficulties in the way of the attainment of this object not to be insuperable. 



Carriers do not require any very special management in respect to nesting- 

 places. Their nest-pans should be large, and the birds should have food supplied 

 in boxes ; for if the beans or peas are scattered on the ground, the best birds will 

 be nearly starved to death, as from the size of the wattles they cannot see before 

 them to pick up a single bean or pea, and can only feed freely by having a food- 

 box, into which they can plunge their beaks. 



The extremely straight beaks that we see in many Carriers are somewhat 

 indebted to artificial proceedings for their perfection. If a promising bird has a 

 hooked beak, the custom amongst the cleverest of the fanciers is to straighten it 

 whilst the bird is still young, and the bone and horn soft and flexible. This is 

 done by putting a smooth-worn shilling into the mouth and gently pressing the 

 upper mandible, so as to straighten it ; this operation, which must be performed 

 with great care and gentleness, is repeated day after day until the beak is 

 duly improved. 



In many of the older treatises an inferior variety of the Carrier was described 

 under the name of the Horseman, but it had no qualities that distinguished it 

 from the Carrier, except that of inferiority of every property, and consequently it 

 does not call for any special description. The term " Pouting Horseman " was 

 originally applied to a cross-bred mongrel between the Horseman and the Pouter, 

 but is now frequently given to a small variety of the Pouter. 



The term " stout birds " is frequently applied to Carriers, and amateurs of 

 this breed are not unfrequently known as " stout-bird fanciers." 



