265 POUTING PIGEONS. 



in the Norwich Croppers. Red and yellow-tailed whites are 

 however, impossible, or next to it, because, as Herr Hevernick 

 truly observes, the coloured tail is not found in red and yellow 

 pied Pouters; at least, not dark enough to match the body 

 colour. 



" On beard and heart " (i.e., bib and half-moon), " as it is 

 called, we place the same conditions with Pomeranian as with 

 English Croppers ; but white feathers on the wings, which with 

 the English are more and more highly prized according to 

 their form, are in all circumstances a defect with the Pome- 

 ranian, and a sign of careless breeding, or of a bad origin. 

 In consequence of this, these feathers are cut off with a pair 

 of scissors by many breeders. On this occasion I cannot 

 refrain from blaming this proceeding most decidedly, for there 

 can be no interest, in my opinion, in examining the pigeons 

 of a breeder of whom we know that he indulges in such 

 rectifications; however, on the other hand, it may perhaps be 

 represented that someone may say he sells no pigeons, and 

 removes their feathers in order that his pigeons may please 

 him better, no matter to him whether other breeders allow 

 this proceeding or not. But, if anyone sends pigeons to an 

 exhibition, all the same whether for sale or not, I can find 

 no point from which such manipulations can be defended, for 

 they have only impure motives, such as bragging or base dis- 

 honesty. The bearing of the Pomeranian must be high and 

 upright, though not so high as with the English. But if, as 

 Priitz says in his noteworthy book, ' Die Arten der Haustaube,' 

 the back must be arched a little convexly, he is mistaken; at 

 least, I have heard this hog's back, as the English call it, always 

 very expressively blamed. 



" Now, if we compare the two races with each other, we find 

 that size and marking are nearly the same ; but with the 

 English the crop is somewhat more inflated, the shape some- 

 what thinner, the tail more slender, and longer, the legs some- 

 what longer, but less strongly feathered, and the bearing more 



2 A 



