259 POUTING PIGEONS. 



Their head is small, beak long and slender, and they are not 

 subject to the crop diseases of the large Pouters." 



The Pigeon Lillois Elegant is portrayed as a short-legged, 

 thick-bodied, very upright-standing bird, with a small oval 

 crop, which is white in front, as are the flights. Boitard and 

 Corbie say : " It is very well made, of an elegant and graceful 

 form, body placed almost vertically on the legs, in such man- 

 ner that the head is on the same line as the feet ; small head, 

 no cere round the eyes, stockinged legs, only the middle toes 

 covered with feathers — a trait which is only met with in this 

 variety — wings long and crossed. This bird is of light flight, 

 is of great productiveness, and is greatly to be recommended 

 to amateurs who wish to unite the useful with the agreeable." 



This pigeon seems to bear some resemblance to the Norwich 

 Cropper, and, from what I can make out, its colours are like 

 those of the bar- winged Croppers ; but to a British Pouter 

 fancier, nothing more inelegant than the shape of it, as pictured, 

 can be imagined, so that I can scarcely believe it to correctly 

 represent the breed. 



The next variety mentioned by the same writers has evidently 

 a resemblance to our Cropper in flight. 



Pigeon Lillois Claquart. — " This pigeon, which BuJffon has 

 confounded with the Tournant " (Smiter, or Ringbeater), " makes 

 a noise with its wings when commencing to fly, like a claquette ; 

 hence its name. It inflates its throat, has long wings, crossed 

 over the tail, a cere round the eyes, and stocking legs. Its 

 plumage is white or chamois, or blue shouldered with white — 

 th^t is, having the upper part of the wing white. It produces 

 well, which makes it much sought after." 



For my own part, I have never seen long-flighted pigeons fly 

 so well as the short-flighted. 



The Cavalier Poutek {Pigeon Cavalier-) is recommended 

 for its beauty and productiveness. "This race appears to be 

 extracted from Punts {Bomains) and Pouters, of which they 

 have the general form, as also the power of inflating the 



