269 POUTING PIGEONS. 



twenty-five years ago, but that, about that time, offers of 

 tempting prices induced breeders to part with their best birds, 

 which were scattered to all places, and soon lost sight of. He 

 concludes his lecture by giving much valuable information on 

 the breeding of the Pomeranian Cropper, observing, that of late 

 a great increase in breeding had taken place, and warning 

 breeders against crossing with English blood, which he had 

 found did not improve this variety. From all I can learn 

 from his lecture, I do not think this variety, though evidently 

 allied to ours, can be of any service to Pouter fanciers here, 

 because it seems smaller, and rather inferior in all its points 

 of shape in comparison with our best birds; however, if I 

 were to see a collection of good Pomeranians, which I may do 

 when I can spare the necessary time, I could at once form an 

 opinion on the subject more to the point than can be gathered 

 from any amount of descriptive writing. 



The Saxon Pouter {Die Sdchsische Kropftaube) "is not 

 so large as the German, far quicker and lighter in flight, and 

 of a slimmer shape. The wings lie close to the b.ody, and 

 reach to the end of the tail, on which the wing-points cross. 

 The beak is longer and thinner than with the German Cropper ; 

 legs and thighs are high, and feathered. It is of a weakly 

 constitution, and propagates poorly. The plumage, generally, 

 is one-coloured blue, black, red, or yellow ; frequently, however. 

 Day- coloured, with white wing-bars." 



The Dutch Pouter {Die Holldndische Krojpftaiibe). — I 

 understand that the following description applies to a CrojDper 

 bred in Germany, and known by this name : " The Dutch 

 Cropper is distinguished from the Prague Cropper by a some- 

 what larger body, and by a crop more of the shape of a 

 cylinder than a ball. Its legs are high, covered with trousers 

 and feathers. It is always one-coloured, often with white wing 

 bars. The bay-coloured " (Isabel-coloured) " among them are 

 most cultivated, and no other colour is found in the same 

 perfection. In Holland, where this breed is original, it like- 



