229 POUTING PIGEONS. 



two pairs from the same sale were afterwards sold for thirty- 

 six guineas by private contract. I believe £60 is the highest 

 piice which has been paid in late years for a Pouter. 



Shape. — My drawing of a Pouter represents the shape or 

 outline of a good bird in position. The head and beak do 

 not constitute fancy points, because, generally, there is nothing 

 abnormal about them. As I have said, beak and eye wattle 

 are sometimes developed to an abnormal extent, but generally 

 when the bird is past being fit for exhibition. Allowing for 

 size, the head and beak of the Pouter may be said to be 

 of the common type. 



The chief and most important part in the shape of a Pouter 

 is the crop, towards the setting off of which to the greatest 

 advantage all its other parts are designed. By the time a 

 young bird has moulted its nest feathers, the breeder will have 

 an idea if it is likely to be well-developed in this respect. The 

 cocks are generally better in crop than the hens, though, in young 

 birds, the latter generally show it sooner. The crop ought to be 

 very large, and as round as possible from every point of 

 view. It ought to be carried with freedom, and fully expanded 

 when the bird is in show. 



Slenderness of girth, or smallness in waist, shows off a good 

 crop to the greatest advantage, and is one of the principal 

 points contributing to fine shape in a Pouter. While most 

 Pouters thicken in body after two years of age, I have known 

 some retain their slender girth for six years, and never be 

 shown without winning. Fanciers should strive to obtain birds 

 of the latter type, the only one which a breeder who has 

 passed through his novitiate has any pleasure in keeping. 



Next to a good crop, the limbs are the most important 

 points about the shape of the Pouter. They ought to be long, 

 properly placed in the body, well- shaped, and rightly feathered. 

 Limb is measured from the joint of the thigh, first above the 

 hock, to the point of the nail of the middle toe. A limb 

 measuring in this way 7in. is extra long. Some years ago, I 



