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CHAPTER XXII. 
THE FANTAIL. 
This pigeon can be traced back farther in history than many others, and there can be but little 
doubt that it first came from India, whence many importations are still made ; American fanciers, 
especially, frequently obtaining consignments from Calcutta. The old books upon pigeons also 
employ the term “ Broad-tailed Shaker ” to describe the breed ; and the two names seem to 
us to afford strong presumptive proof that even in those days there were two schools of breeders, 
as there are now ; one seeking chiefly for tail above all other properties, the other rather for 
that “carriage” and shaking “motion” which are the grand properties of the Northern 
fancier. To consider the Scotch and English Fantail distinct, as some seem to do, we think 
a great error; there being nothing to show that there is any further distinction between them 
than being differently selected, and bred from specimens which showed somewhat different 
points, as all fancy pigeons continually do. It is, however, undoubtedly true that very distinct 
types exist at present, and most of the present Scotch birds appear to have sprung from one 
strain, of which we are favoured with the following account from Mr. George Ure, of Dundee: — 
“ To some it may appear superfluous to have an article for this breed, thinking it might have 
been embraced under the general head of ‘ Fantail.’ The bird, however, differs so widely from 
all others, that a separate notice is, I think, excusable, and I shall, therefore, state, as shortly as 
possible, what I know of it. A fancier in Dundee, about forty years ago, had a breed of Fantails — 
black Saddle-backs — of extraordinary style. After a time, not being a fancier of the right sort, 
he gave up keeping pigeons, and they were sold. I was then but a youth, without the means to 
buy the lot (there were other sorts as well), but I knew where they went to, and thought I would 
have them some day, and by keeping them in sight and ‘ biding my time,’ I got them, I may say, 
entirely into my own hands, for a few birds, scattered here and there, and ill-managed, went for 
nothing. I never could learn where they came from, beyond the very vague information that they 
‘came in a ship’ to Dundee. I have seen and often had the Indian Fantail, but these birds were 
different from all I ever saw from that quarter, so small, and close, and tight-feathered, and with 
such extraordinary action and style — the tails of the round, arched form, but fine and well- 
expanded. Some were so excessively ‘ nervous ’ that they were almost useless for breeding. One 
hen I had, in particular, was over two years old before she could breed, and up to that age she had 
no tail, as, from her excessive action, she so frequently rolled about on the floor, that the growing 
feathers were always broken off. This, with age, she got over, and bred, and I have her still 
stuffed, and the only really well-stuffed pigeon I ever saw, though done by an amateur. 
“ In body they were so short, or, rather, round, that if divested of tail, wings, and neck, a small 
orange or cricket-ball would give a good idea of it. After some time, the tails began to get 
contracted or ‘spooney,’ when I got hold of an Indian bird, a peak-headed hen, and the best one I 
ever saw of that breed ; she was white, as most of them are. By this cross I got pure whites, which 
