THE SHOET-FACED TUMBLER. 119 



most valuable as brood stock, if they possess the requisite properties of bead, beak, 

 eye, and carriage. 



Matching the birds properly is one of the most important points in breeding 

 Almonds, and the knowledge how to effect this is only to be acquired by long- 

 experience. It is impossible to state in many cases what colours will be produced 

 by any particular pair, even when their origin can be traced through several 

 generations. The " Old. Fancier" gives the following very practical directions on 

 matching or pairing : — 



" Of Matching oe Pateixg. — The middle or latter end of February, if the 

 weather is open, is the proper time for matching the birds, rather than a later 

 period, as they will at first lay thin-shelled eggs, match them as late as you please, 

 and the first or second round seldom produces anything, so that it is a saving of 

 time, and a means of getting the birds steady and in good breeding condition by 

 the time the weather has become a little warmer, after which all difficulty of that 

 sort is over, and they then go on kindly. 



" Having got the loft and -pens clean, and in good condition, and being- 

 provided with nest-pans, hoppers, fountains, and all other requisites, the fancier 

 must proceed to match or pair his birds, which is unquestionably the greatest art 

 in the system of pigeon fancying, consequently considerable attention is now 

 necessary to be paid by him ; and for his assistance and instruction I shall 

 endeavour to lay down a few rules, which ought invariably to be adhered to, if he 

 has choice enough in his loft to admit of them ; if not, it is much better to buy a 

 bird to match one that he cannot properly match from his own stud, rather than 

 put two birds together that are not a match, thereby strengthening the bad pro- 

 perties which it is his business to lessen, and if possible entirely to subdue. 



" The grand art of matching birds, in my opinion, is to endeavour to counteract 

 every bad property or imperfection in the birds that are to be put together, by 

 taking care that the bird intended for the mate of the one possesses the good 

 properties or perfections, in an eminent degree, which the other is deficient in ; as, 

 for example, the cock bird shall have a brilliant feather and good head and beak, 

 but shall be deficient in the eye and shape, consequently, the hen must be par- 

 ticularly good in those properties in which he fails, viz., eye and shape ; but if she 

 is good all the way through, the more desirable ; and as no one ever yet appre- 

 hended breeding too good a bird, I recommend putting birds of equal good 

 properties together, as much as possible, rather than birds whose properties must 

 be assisted by counteraction, but the strength of the loft will seldom admit of this, 

 in which case he has no alternative. 



'•' Great care should be taken not to match birds too fine, as it is called, that is, 

 so that they do not throw a sufficient height of feather. If this is not guarded 

 against, he will produce none but light-grounded birds, which will take him a 

 great length of time to strengthen and get the better of, therefore good Kites are 

 necessary to maintain strength of feather ; also good thorough-bred reds or yellow- 

 mottled birds are very proper for this purpose ; but I prefer a well-bred red or red- 



