124 POWTERS. DEFECTS AND REMEDIES. [CHAP. iv. 



not deficient in natural powers, either of hardiness, 

 flight, or memory. I am well acquainted with the party 

 to whom the following case happened : 



" I once had a pair of Pigeons of the Cropper kind 

 given to me by a friend. I confined them about a 

 month, with the view of breaking off the thoughts of 

 their former home; but as soon as they had their liberty, 

 they flew towards their old habitation. The hen arrived 

 immediately ; but, strange to say, her mate did not till 

 two years afterwards. No doubt he was trapped, and re- 

 mained in confinement during the whole of that time. 

 The distance to their old home was only four miles and 

 a half, but what seems curious is, that a Pigeon should 

 recollect his home after two years' absence. My friend 

 told me, that as soon as the Cropper cock got back 

 again, he began to play the same tricks as he used to 

 do before he was sent away to me." J. W. 



An objection to Powters is, that the largest-cropped 

 birds seldom have their crops perfectly covered with 

 feathers, but show a great deal of naked skin (from their 

 rubbing off) which leaves the beholder to imagine the 

 beautiful plumage which ought to be beheld. They are 

 also apt to be gorged by over-feeding themselves ; in 

 which case we have proved the benefit of the directions 

 in the Treatise, adding to them, however, a calomel 

 and colocynth pill. " When they have been too long 

 from grain, they will eat so much that they cannot di- 

 gest it ; but it will lie and corrupt in the crop, and kill 

 the Pigeon : if this, therefore, at any time happens, take 

 the following method : 



" Put them in a strait stocking, with their feet down- 

 ward, stroking up the crop, that the bag which contains 

 the meat may not hang down ; then hang the stocking 



