251 POUTING PIGEONS. 



starting to take his few lazy rounds in the air, for he is too 

 much of a fine gentleman to condescend to violent exertion. 

 Other pigeons will indulge in the same action in a less degree, 

 but Croppers are the claquers par excellence; and hence we 

 believe the Smiters of Willughby to be only a synonym of 

 the present kind." This description is very true to Nature ; 

 but, as I have shown, the Smiter of "Willughby is the bird 

 known in Germany as the Bingbeater. 



Eaton could appreciate the excellence of the Cropper, which 

 he writes of as the Pouting Horseman as follows : " I have 

 seen some of these light-bodied Pouting Horsemen that ap- 

 peared to me to fly as light as Tumblers, and, when flying with 

 the Tumblers, their round, globular crops, well filled and up, 

 have a very pleasing effect, owing to the contrast of the 

 Tumblers. With regard to dashing off, they are not only a 

 merry but a spirited pigeon; not only spirited, but graceful 

 in the extreme; I would rather see an elegant shape, small 

 or narrow-girt Pouting Horseman, 6^in. in the leg (think of 

 this, Gentlemen of the Pouting Fancy !) than an English 

 Pouter, even if it would measure 7in. A large English Pouter, 

 with thick girt, and hog-backed. Style is a grand thing, and 

 the Pouting Horseman is the English Pouter in miniature, 

 retaining all its properties." As I have explained, Croppers 

 are nothing like 6|in. in limb ; but Eaton, if he ever measured 

 any, was probably unwilling to write what, at the time, would 

 have been regarded as something very heterodox. How well 

 he goes on to describe what may be seen at any show of 

 Pouters : " How often it happens, at a grand show of these 

 remarkable, fine, large, English Pouters, after having been 

 previously prepared for showing, that is separating each cock 

 and hen, and not allowing them to see a pigeon, show well 

 in their own pens ; but when put into the show pen, a male 

 bird, expecting it will show, it stretches forth its head and 

 neck, apparently taking a sight of all the Fanciers in the 

 room, almost as much as to say to some of them you owe 



