260 FANCY PIGEONS. 



throat, more or less according to tlie variety. Some have 

 thick nostrils, membranous and fleshy, or even a little mush- 

 roomed, but rarely ; they have a red cere round the eyes." 

 The Pigeon Cavalier Faraud is pictured as a tall, upstanding, 

 shell-crested, long-cropped, and barelegged Pouter. It is said 

 to be a cross between the common Cavalier and the Bagadais 

 Mondain a Voeil. 



German Pouters. 



Neumeister and Prlitz describe several varieties of German 

 Croppers {Kropftaiiben), and say, regarding the whole race : 

 " This universally known and favourite kind of pigeon is 

 distinguished from all others by its ability of puffing up its 

 throat to the highest degree, so that it often becomes as large 

 as the remaining body. This is done by drawing in air into 

 the throat, by means of the bill, somewhat opened, the throat 

 valve closing ; which closing is brought about in a manner 

 which has not yet been thoroughly investigated, but it is likely 

 by a co-operation of the neck muscles. As to the beauty of 

 Croppers, it is essential that the neck be long, so that the 

 head does not stick between the shoulders, which gives them 

 an unshapely appearance. Their flight is mostly good, though 

 somewhat heavy; they flap much with their wings, and fre- 

 quently make playful gyrations, with their wings held high. 

 Their propagation is but middling, but they are much liked 

 on account of their cheerful ways and the above- described 

 remarkable blowing up of their crops, which gives them 

 peculiarly graceful attitudes and movements. They should 

 never be kept with other pigeons, especially large kinds, as 

 they are helpless when blowing, and unable to withdraw from, 

 or defend themselves against, the attacks of others. The crop 

 loses its feathers by blows from the beak, is even sometimes 

 pierced; when feeding with other nimble kinds they often 

 come short; their pairing is also interfered with, which is 

 telling on the offsxDring. They are variously marked, of 



