Matching for Various Points. 
125 
at very high prices. We have heard these latter sneered at as being “ not real fanciers ; ” but such 
is by no means true. Many of them would be practical breeders had they only more time ; but 
not having this, they gladly pay large sums for the produce of those who have ; and the very fact 
that they can thus appreciate the fine qualities of an unusually good specimen shows that they 
have a real right to the name. Each class of men assists the other ; for we know very well that 
many breeders would not persevere as they do, were it not for the opportunity of an occasional 
sale at a high price to such discriminating amateurs ; not only for the remuneration it gives them 
for their time and trouble, but it is a real pleasure to such a poor man to have the produce of his 
skill and patience thus appreciated by a real judge. It is as great a triumph for him, in its way, 
as a victory at a great show ; and encourages him to persevere in his harmless hobby, as well as 
furnishes the “sinews of war” for doing so; while it likewise furnishes a kindly intercourse between 
class and class upon a common ground, which is to the advantage of both parties. 
Some fanciers are more partial than others to rough-legged birds, on account of their frequently 
fine dimensions. They are also often very fine in crop ; and though sometimes subject to be 
rather thick in girth, are not unfrcquently almost all that can be desired except for the rough 
feather. Hence they are very often plucked or trimmed ; and certainly if done with judgment 
a little thinning out does improve the look of such a bird tremendously ; but a very keen eye can 
generally detect the operation through the loss of that beautiful smoothness of feather which 
distinguishes a naturally good leg. The shortening of the feather during the breeding season we 
have already spoken of ; but these rough-legged birds being so frequently extra fine in crop are 
rather liable to become loose and hanging. They are also subject when old to become gorged 
with either food or water ; and when in either condition, being more clumsy in stepping than 
stocking-legged birds, are rather apt to pierce the crop with the toe-nail, which, if not immediately 
seen, is apt to prove fatal. The preventive of such accidents is to fix a small pellet of gutta-percha 
while warm on to the points of the middle toe-nails. 
If we add that, the rough-legged birds being generally rather more bent at the hocks, the 
thin-legged one must not show much bend there, but present a nearly straight joint, we shall have 
said all that need be laid down concerning breeding in respect of limb. The necessity of avoiding 
a pair both of which omit to show a good length of waist from the bottom of the crop to the set-on of 
the thighs, has been already insisted on. This beauty is often seen in small birds, but seldom in 
large ones. We have also alluded to the necessity of having on one side at least a good length of 
flights. No matter how fine otherwise, a bird with short flights never has a “ finished ” look. To 
avoid this, some fanciers are in the habit of plucking both flights and tail-feathers from the birds 
while quite in their infancy, for the purpose of getting the extra length of the second set before 
the natural time, and thus inducing the spectator to believe, seeing the bird in its nestling-feathers 
otherwise, that when it moults it will be a wonderful length ; a hope never realised. But against 
this dodge we earnestly warn our readers, for the feathers never seem to grow quite in their proper 
place after such an operation. The outer flight-feathers especially are almost sure to come with 
either a slight twist, or to appear more loose, as if not nicely and tightly folded up and properly 
lapping over each other. There is most likely to be actual twist in small birds ; but even the 
larger ones lose in this nice and tight-looking “ fit” of the feathers. The only case where we 
would pluck the flights is when a feather, as sometimes happens, seems to grow double from one 
root — a malformation which is singularly more apt to occur with good birds than bad ones. Such 
a feather should be plucked, of course, in hopes that it may grow again of a right shape ; and it is 
also sometimes advisable to pluck a tail as a medicinal measure ; but otherwise all plucking of 
quills is to be avoided. 
