Written and Illustrated by F. J. S. Chatterton

.Specialist Breeder and Judge of Poultry, Pigeons and Cage Birds; fudge at the " Grand International Show. Crystal Palace," Membre des Aviculteurs Francais; Vice-president Poultry Club-; Hon. Sec. Yokohama Club; on the Committee of Middlesex Columbarian Society; ' Indian Game Club, etc., etc.

The Original " Broad tailed Shakers"f - The Good Points of Fantails - The Shape of the Tail - Its Correct Carriage - The Popular White Fantail - Other Varieties - Blues and Blacks - Saddles Reds and Yellows

One of the most ancient varieties of fancy pigeons is the fantail, which has now been bred for a great number of years. It is generally supposed that fantail pigeons were first imported into this country from India. They were originally called "broad - tailed shakers," partly because of their large tails, which contain from 26 to 36 feathers, and partly because of their frequent shaking or tremulous motion of the head and neck.

The fantail is a very popular variety, both with breeders of fancy pigeons for exhibition and with those who only keep a few pigeons for ornament and their own amusement. In most country houses where pigeons are kept, one will, as a rule, find some fantails strutting about the lawn or courtyard. The old coaching hos-telries usually possessed some of this variety.

As a rule, fantails are of a quiet and tame disposition, and make very charming pets for a lady. They are healthy birds and of good constitution, and not at all difficult to keep. They are prolific, also, and live for a number of years.

The fantail should be small and compact in form, and is essentially a "quality" pigeon. The head should be small and fine, long rather than round, the beak should be of medium size and neat, the wattle on the beak very sma11 and neat and covered with a white powder.

White fantail pigeon. This variety is the most popular and nearest to perfection in exhibition points. Note the curious position of the head, an important point in the breed

The eye-cere should be small and of fine texture, the eye dark and full, with a soft expression, quite different from that of the homer pigeon.

The neck should be swan-like, thin, nicely arched, and of a fair length, the body short and compact, the breast full and prominent and carried high. This last point is particularly noticeable when the bird is viewed from the front, as the breast then completely hides the head, which is carried on the back, or, rather, the "cushion" The back should be rather short, the thighs and legs of medium length. The legs and feet should be a bright crimson in colour and free from any feathering, although occasionally some good birds show a slight indication of feathering on the legs. This tendency is what is termed a "throwing-back" to their early ancestors, as the Indian birds have feathers on the legs.

Another trace of this reverting or "throwing-back" to the old Indian blood will be found in birds occasionally bred with a peak or crown of feathers at the back of the head, which was a trait of many Indian birds.

Now we come to the most important point in a well-bred fantail - viz., the tail. This should be large and spread out evenly like a fan, coming down equally on each side of the bird. The feathers should be long and broad and closely fitting over each other, without a break in the centre. Some otherwise good birds have a bad habit of pushing their head back and through the centre of the tail, thus causing an ugly break, which is a very bad fault.

The number of feathers in the tail of a good fantail varies from twenty-eight to thirty-eight, but the point for the breeder to aim at is a Well-fitting fan-like tail, which the bird can carry in the correct manner, rather than the greatest number of feathers.

The tail should be carried perfectly upright and flat, neither turning over the back nor falling backwards. B:rds with "funnel" shaped instead of fan-shaped tails are, unfortunately. often seen, but should not be used for breeding purposes. The wings should be carried low, with the flights beneath the tail.

There are several varieties of fantails, but the white species is, and always has been, the most popular, and is also the nearest to perfection in exhibition points. Blues and blacks rank next, then saddles and reds and yellows.

Blue fantail pigeon. Red saddle fantail pigeon. These are also interesting varieties

There is also a seldom seen variety known as laces, but in appearance these birds look very like a badly washed white fantail, the webbing of the feathers being separated and having a rough appearance.

The feeding of fantails will be dealt with later in an article in Every Woman's Encyclopaedia on "Feeding and Housing of Fancy Pigeons."

As regards the prices of fantails, fairly good birds can sometimes be obtained at half a guinea each, but the wisest and most economical Way to start With fantail pigeons would be to apply to a well-known breeder of them for a pair of stock birds at about two guineas the pair and leave the selection of the mating to him. In this manner, when dealing with a true fancier, you would have a far better chance of breeding good birds than if you purchased two winning birds from different breeders at three times the money and mated them yourself. Of course, you must not expect to get the best at this price, for show specimens often change hands at five and ten guineas each, whilst extra good specimens have been sold for 25 guineas and upwards.

When the birds are mated in the springtime, it is advisable to cut off a little more than half of each tail feather, thus securing better results in the fertility of the eggs.

Some fantails have a bad habit of walking about with their tails almost horizontal over the body and head, the head and breast nearly touching the ground. These birds should be disregarded, as it is a fault that is often hereditary. The fault previously mentioned of some birds pushing their heads back, and through the centre of their tail, can sometimes be remedied, and the habit cured, by tying the three or four centre feathers in the tail for a time, so that the bird cannot push its head through them and so cause the break or open space in the tail.

The comparative values of points in judging fantails for exhibition are: Head and beak, 10; size of body, 10; shape and carriage, 28; action. 17; tails 35 - 100 points.