224 FANCY PIGEONS. 



that, 200 years ago, the London Pouters were large pigeons, 

 long and slender in body, and with, great crops. Sixty years 

 later, however, we have Moore's succinct account of the origin 

 of the English Pouter; but whether it was merely a tradi- 

 tionary account, or a narrative of facts within his own 

 knowledge, cannot now, I fancy, be determined. First of 

 all, he describes the Dutch Cropper as follows : *' This Pigeon 

 seems to be originally Dutch, being naturally thick, and its 

 Name is derived from a large Bag, or crop of Wind, which 

 they carry under their Beak, and can at Pleasure either 

 raise or depress; they are thick bodied and short, their Legs 

 are likewise thick, short, and feather'd down to their Feet; 

 their Crop is large, but always hangs low; the Feathers on 

 their Thighs hang loose, whereby they are said to be flag- 

 thigh'd; their Legs stand wide, and they seldom play 

 upright ; they are gravel Ey'd, and generally very bad 

 Feeders ; therefore, as soon as they have fed off their soft 

 Meat, it is proper to put their young ones under a pair of 

 small Runts, Dragoons, or Powting-horsemen, which may be 

 kept as Nurses for that Purpose. There are of all Sorts of 

 Feathers in this Pigeon, and the Butch in breeding it take 

 a very great care ; for as soon as they have fed off their 

 soft Meat, they put the young ones under others to nurse, 

 and then separate the old ones, placing them in different 

 Coops, and feeding them high with Hemp or Rape Seed for 

 a Month, then turning them together; and by being very 

 hearty and salacious, they breed Pigeons with very good 

 Properties : from whence we may observe, that wou'd Mankind 

 be like abstemious, their Progeny might be more compleat 

 both in Body and Mind. These are the Pigeons that are 

 most apt to gorge, if not kept constantly supplied with Meat 

 and Water." 



Moore commences his description of the English Pouter thus : 

 "This Pigeon, which was first bred in England, and is therefore 

 call'd the English Powter, is originally a mixt breed between 



