177 THE JACOBIN. 



confus'd Manner, whence the Pigeon has its Name. The Strain 

 of Jacobines has been much vitiated by matching them to this 

 Pigeon, in Order to improve their Chain by the Length of the 

 Buff's Feathers, but instead of this, the Jack is bred larger, 

 longer-beakt, looser in its Hood and Chain, and in short worsted 

 in all its original Properties." 



The account of the Jacobin in the Treatise of 1765 contains 

 very little in addition to that of Moore, whose ideas are 

 retained, though his language is altered. The ruff is also 

 described, and its use in Jacobin-breeding condemned. Yellow 

 Jacobins had the preference over the other colours. The por- 

 trait or illustration in that book representing the breed is, 

 however, very good, considering all things, and is the earliest 

 fancier's picture of a Jacobin I know of, Willughby's, of 1676, 

 and another in Albin's "History of Birds" (1734), not being 

 worth consideration. The following passage from the Treatise 

 (page 117) points to another picture of a Jacobin as existing, 

 but I have not yet met with it : " The following being in itself 

 so uncommon, and a fact, I cannot help taking notice of it : a 

 person the other day passing through Fleet-street, seeing a 

 print of this Bird " (the Jacobin) " at a shop window, stopped 

 to make his observations thereon, and having well viewed it, 

 he went in and purchased it, declaring to the seller, that he 

 never saw a stronger likeness in his life; and as for the wig, 

 it was exactly the same he always wore. For he imagined 

 it altogether a caricatura of one of his intimate acquaintance ; 

 and the person of whom he bought it, did not think it necessary 

 at that time to undeceive him." 



The picture of a Jacobin in the Treatise represents a very 

 round-headed, short-beaked, rather down-faced, apparently high- 

 cut bird, with the broad eye wattle of a good Jacobin. It is 

 entirely dark-thighed and vented, and full-flighted as far as 

 seen. The chain feathers are long, but do not meet in front, 

 as they ought to do. The mane is clearly brought out, but 

 is not so even at its ridge as many modern birds have it. 



B 



