Breeding Fantails. 
33 1 
carried low back, at the root of the tail, lower than the breast ; the English head much higher than 
the breast, and nearer the top of the tail. The balance of the body also is different, the eye of 
the English bird being nearly perpendicular to the feet, whereas the breast of the Scotch is more 
nearly in that position. But still the most characteristic difference is in the amount of “ motion.” 
There are more varieties of colour in the English bird, on account of its being stronger and 
easier to breed. Whole-coloured Blacks, Blues, Reds, and Yellows are seen, besides Saddle-backs ; 
but accurately marked birds of the latter class are rare of good quality in either style, and should 
always be allowed some points for marking in competition. There are also black bodies with 
white tails, and vice versd, but, as a rule, all “ marked ” birds are greatly behind the others in 
Fantail properties. These markings are all produced by crossing Fantails with other varieties 
which possess them ; and the facility with which these crosses preserve the Fantail character, 
rarely reverting to the other side, is a clear proof of the extreme distinctness and antiquity of 
this variety. This is also borne out by the ancient opinion that Barbs would not breed with 
Fantails ; but this has been contradicted from experience by both Mr. Darwin and Mr. Teget- 
meier. Still, though we cannot question their statements, there is something in the notion, since 
we can affirm that we have repeatedly attempted the cross of both Carrier and Barb with the 
Fantail, but never yet succeeded in producing progeny ; and we know that others have had the 
same want of success. 
Many of the larger, or English Fantails, are peak-crested like Turbits, and it is wonderful to 
see the size of the tails in some of these birds, but they are almost always coarse and loose- 
feathered. Peculiar colour or marking, with the exception of the Saddle-back, we have never yet 
seen in a good small or Scotch bird, the quality being lost in the cross which produces them. 
Saddle-backs can be found blacky blue, and red ; but even these are seldom quite equal to the 
Whites, being, no doubt, originated from crosses. Peculiar markings, as regards tail and body, 
are usually produced by crossing with Turbits. These coloured Fantails are most apt to fail 
in tail, which is hollow rather than flat, and barely two-thirds of a circle, instead of nearly 
cdmplete. 
The common Fantail is of vigorous constitution, and lives usually to a good age, on which 
account it will bear in-breeding to any reasonable degree. We have known many twelve or fifteen 
years old ; and even the small Scotch birds are, as a rule, also hardy and good nurses. But they 
have, as Mr. Ure says, the peculiarity that when they do go wrong, they generally go off all at 
once ; and it is another singular thing that their “ motion ” seems to cease as suddenly. 
The Scotch style of bird, in whole or part, is now superseding the coarser bird; even those 
who used to show the English style with most success having crossed their strains with the smaller, 
and thus greatly improved them. We think, with Mr. Serjeantson, that much can be done in this 
way by crossing the best and smallest English Fans, with good and large tails, from good Scotch 
stock that has form and motion. Besides Mr. Serjeantson, Mr. Maynard and others have adopted 
this plan with great success. Many Scotch birds have, undoubtedly, too little tail, and others too 
much motion, but by their crossing they impart valuable properties to coarser stock. Each 
variety, in fact, except unusual specimens of Scotch Fantails, does need a cross from the other, 
to give the one more tail and the other form and motion. It is thus the best birds are produced, 
and, no doubt, we shall ere long see the whole amalgamated into one race, of the Scotch type, 
but with a little more tail (speaking as compared with the bulk of Scotch Fans), derived from the 
English bird. 
Fantails with so much motion that they cannot breed, can often be got to do so by keeping 
them in very small pens. The excessive nervousness wears off after two or three years. 
