122 CROPPERS. SM1TERS. [CHAP. iv. 



has indeed something of a military air, and requires but 

 a few finishing touches from a drilling-master to make 

 his demeanour perfect in formality and politeness. We 

 have seen gentlemen belonging to Her Majesty's army, 

 whose back-thrown head, super-erect carriage, taper 

 waist, and well-padded breast, brought them very much 

 to the model of a gigantic Cropper, and whose counte- 

 nances betrayed no dissatisfaction with their own personal 

 appearance; and a style of beauty which contents a man, 

 may surely be allowed to please a bird. The feathered 

 legs and the sweeping tail may be supposed to complete 

 the likeness, by representing spurs and dangling and 

 trailing what-nots. 



The flight also of the Cropper is stately and dignified 

 in its way. The inflated crop is not generally collapsed 

 by the exertion, but is seen to move slowly forward 

 through the air, like a large permanent soap-bubble, 

 with a body and wings attached to it. The bird is fond 

 of clapping his wings loudly at first 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 claqueurs par excellence ; 

 and hence we believe the Smiters of Willughby to be 

 only a synonym of the present kind. He says, " I take 

 these to be those, which the fore-mentioned Hollander 

 told Aldrovandus, that his countrymen called Draiiers. 

 These do not only shake their wings as they fly : but 

 also flying round about in a ring, especially over their 

 females, clap them so strongly, that they make a greater 

 sound than two battledores or other boards struck one 

 against another. Whence it comes to pass, that their 



