326 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
the middle feathers being shorter than the rest ; or a curious split feather, or what is better known 
as a double feather, though with only one root. To remedy this, we have known the faulty ones 
cut off short, and other feathers slipped on to the stumps after being dipped in glue, the operation 
lasting, if not discovered, until the next moult. This fault is as often as not, however, caused 
by the owners themselves. The birds which are best in motion are very apt, as already explained, 
to fall back and get the ends of the feathers broken or damaged. This is, indeed, one sign of 
good motion, and few good birds but get more or less so soon after moult. Then the owner, to 
get a fresh tail for some show, plucks the feathers, and when this is done it is very seldom the 
centre feathers will come again the same length as the rest, or as they would have done if left -to 
moult in due course. We have seen this so often, that we warn our readers it is very rarely a bird 
plucked to “ get a fresh tail ” for show, is not ruined as regards the centre, even the next moult 
not restoring it. So true is this, that even when the tail must be plucked as a remedial measure, 
as is so often needed with young pigeons, or in the moulting season, the four middle feathers 
should always be left, by which the centre will be preserved. 
Some otherwise very good Fans have wry tails. If not a bad case we would advise cutting off 
the whole of one side pretty close to the root, and pasting a little card or something on those left 
on the other side. This, by leaving all the weight on one side till next moult, will often cure 
a slight case, but not severe ones. Such are generally hereditary, so that if possible they should 
never be bred from. 
The beak should be fine, and with a neat curve at the tip like that of a dove. The legs and 
feet small and fine, the bird standing or walking as much as possible on tiptoe like the Tumbler, 
and the wings carried very low also, so as to display the tail to the best advantage. If the wings 
are carried up like those of other pigeons they project through the sides of the tail, and completely 
spoil its beauty and value ; but if of very good carriage the bird may be preserved for breeding by 
shortening the flights just sufficiently to be clear of the tail. If this be not done the bird feels 
there is something wrong, and is miserable, turning round and round as if to discover what is the 
matter. 
Such is the Scotch Fantail, and such birds are truly represented in our plates, the White being 
one of Mr. Ure’s strain, belonging to Mr. J. E. Spence, which has often been shown with success. 
The coloured birds are marked exactly like Turbits, viz., on the shoulders of the wings only, but 
in Fantails this marking is known as Saddle-backed, and the plate shows a real portrait of one 
bred by Mr. Huie, of Glasgow. It was so good that we believe many of even the Whites owe their 
origin to this bird, Mr. Huie distributing his specimens as widely as many dealers do theirs, 
though by gift rather than sale. The Saddle-backed Fantail is a particularly handsome bird, and 
we prefer it to all others, but it is very difficult to breed both good and true to markings. The 
third bird is what is called a “ Laced” Fantail, which belonged to Mr. James Wallace, of Glasgow, 
a fancier of over fifty years, during the whole of which time, we think, he has never been without a 
good collection. This variety has the feathers loose or deficient in webbing, the filaments being 
separate as in the Silky Fowl, though hardly so much so. The peculiarity of plumage is strongly 
hereditary, this bird being far better than the original stock imported by Mr. Wallace, from which 
it was descended, and which was thus improved by crossing with better, but ordinary-plumaged 
Scotch Fans. This fact is interesting as showing that a pair is never needed to found a variety 
or improve the strain ; if the peculiarity be real and well marked, one bird will do it, should 
it live and be judiciously managed. 
Turning from the Scotch Fantail to the English or coarser bird, however, we must state that 
our plates are not portraits, but very considerably idealised, a portion of the better Scotch 
