142 
The Illustrated Book of Plgeons. 
and flights are less perfect (being darker), if the body feathers are of a sound yellow colour, and 
well and regularly spangled. Our reason is simply this, that if the beauty of the bird can only be 
seen when it is handled, it can scarcely be called beauty ; since, after all, the full beauty of the 
Almond in other points can only be seen in the aviary or the pen, carriage especially totally 
disappearing when the bird is held in the hand. After all, however, it is a matter of taste ; and 
hence we have represented in the plates both a cock and hen at all three stages of their lives. 
We think, in fact, that this matter of taste should be allowed more weight than some judges 
are in the habit of giving to it. For instance, though we have explained what is needed to make a 
standard tail and flights, we do not think an exaggerated value should be placed upon it, having so 
often seen birds which looked perfection in the pen, but when the flights and tail were spread out 
would show, perhaps, one Kite feather (all black, with a fiery glow on it) in the tail, or one or both of 
the flights. Very often that Kite feather, instead of spoiling the beauty of the bird in the pen, 
actually improves it, especially if it be the fourth or fifth feather of the flights. The bird appears 
beautiful all over, and no fault is to be seen until it is handled and the feathers spread out. 
Another bird, perhaps, is a standard bird in flights and tail, but of a mealy ground-colour. It then 
is a “ standard,” but its only beauty is this marking on tail and flights, which can only be seen in 
the hands. Now, certainly, we think that the beauty which appears at all times is of more 
importance than that which can only be seen while the bird is held in the hand. We would apply 
this rule to any faulty colour which appeared in the pen, since surely one or two faulty feathers, 
which need searching for, are not so bad as faulty colour all over the entire body, which is 
always seen. Besides this is the fact that the one bird will very probably produce valuable progeny 
quite free from the foul feathers, while the other is far less likely to produce birds of good 
ground-colour. 
Referring, then, to our plate of the Almond cocks, the first representation, of a bird at eighteen 
months old, will be seen to possess standard flights and tail, but shows little or no spangling on the 
body. Next will be seen what we regard as the proper shade of ground-colour, at the age when, 
upon the whole, we think a good Almond cock looks his best, viz., at two and a half years. The 
body is now spangled, but the white has nearly or quite disappeared from the “ standard ” feathers. 
We must say that at no time have we ever seen a bird with such a well-spangled body as here 
depicted retain at the same time the standard colours in its flights and tail ; birds rather lighter 
sometimes will. We have heard fanciers say they have had birds as well spangled as this, which 
still retained their “ standard properties;” but in every case when we came to see the birds we 
found it was simply imagination, chiefly on the part of those who did not know correctly what a 
standard bird was, and were pleased to be shown where they were mistaken. The third portrait 
we represent as that of the same bird at four years old. It will now be seen to have assumed a 
somewhat deeper and darker shade of colour all over, and is what the left-hand bird would in nearly 
all cases moult into the following season. It will be seen there are no standard feathers now left, 
the white parts in the flights and tail having all disappeared, and given place to the black and 
the darkened ground-colour, now approaching almost to a mahogany tinge. 
Thus we have represented what we regard as the proper shade of colour, first in the young 
bird, following it to what we think its best age, and finally to the stage when it must retire from 
competition of any severe character as too dark. In doing so, after what we said at the com- 
mencement, we hope it will be fully understood that we do not dream of expressing views which 
every one will agree with. Far from it ; in the face of the many opinions we have alluded to, it 
would be presumptuous to hope that toe could unite all fanciers in one and the same view. Still, 
as we have had in the course of our experience to study the wishes of some hundreds, both of 
