CHAP, iv.j JACOBINES. DEALEKS' THICKS. 105 



whose fancy may differ from mine, in giving my real 

 sentiments and opinion so freely, as I have advanced 

 nothing but matter of fact, and what is the result of 

 many years' experience."* 



One feels inclined humbly to intreat this connois- 

 seur, if he were surviving, to condescend to look in one 

 day, and wring the necks of all one's " trash." There 

 is a degree of sublimity in the idea of pigeon-pie com- 

 posed of birds at five guineas the pair ! 



The same author, however, describes the points of 

 the Jacobine so clearly, that we cannot do better than 

 refer to him again for aid. " It has a range of feathers 

 inverted quite over the hinder part of the head, and 

 reaching down on each side of the neck to the shoulders 

 of the wings, which forms a kind of hood, something 

 like a friar's, from whence it takes the name of Jaco- 

 bine ; the fathers of that order wearing hoods to 

 cover their baldness. Therefore the upper part of this 

 range of feathers is called the hood ; and the more 

 compact these feathers are, and the closer they are to 

 the head, so much the more the bird is valued : the 

 lower part of this range of feathers is, with us, called 

 the chain, but the Dutch call it the cravat the fea- 

 thers of which should be long and close, that were you 

 to strain the neck a little, by taking hold of the bill, the 

 two sides should fold over each other, which may be 

 seen in some of the best. Sometimes the pigeon-dealers 

 cut a piece of skin out between the throat and the chest, 

 and sew it up again, by which means the chain is drawn 

 closer. 



" The Jacobiue should have a very small head, with 



* Treatise, p. 65. 



