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their brother Fanciers a treat, as it was supposed ; it does not always turn out to be 

 so, owing to their not showing, as it is called. Nevertheless, it often proves a treat 

 to see what length of body and shape, length in leg and beautiful in feather. It is 

 otherwise with the light (not heavy) merry-spirited Pouting Horseman cock, when put 

 into the show pen, always up and ready for his work, not long in stripping himself, 

 putting himself in attitude, and suiting the action to the word, display that fine action 

 of showing which is well understood by the Grentlemen of the Fancy; giving infinite 

 satisfaction with regard to being a merry Pigeon upon the top of a house, and by often 

 dashing off', are good to pitch stray Pigeons that are at a loss to find their home. Al- 

 low me here, by way of bringing it to a close, to mention, when I was a little boy, 

 and as I suppose a good little boy, (as is the custom to interpret favourably of children 

 • — for it is only When we are children of larger growth that we kick over the traces,) 

 between fifty and sixty years ago, and scarcely could walk, I had that propensity for 

 birds, whenever I had a halfpenny given me, I would go on all-fours up the stairs to 

 one Jemmy Gilham, a bird catcher, who lived next floor to the skies, and lay out my 

 all with this merchant bird catcher, for which I obtained a bird ; how I got down with 

 a bird in hand at this time perplexes me, for I can recollect I went up on all-fours — ■ 

 never recollect falling down ; recollect when down, and coming into the light ; the 

 bird, I suppose must have been some hard-billed bird — hen sparrow, green bird, or 

 chaffinch — gave me a severe peck ; I let it go, and then had a good roar. This Jemmy 

 Gilham, although only a bird catcher, had his heart in the right place. He knew me 

 and my parents — he did not live far from us — brought me another bird and told me to 

 hold it tight ; I took his advice, being determined it should not get its head round to 

 peck ; I was no better off for a singing bird when I got it home than with the bird 

 that pecked me and flew away ; for in following his advice in holding it tight I had 

 choked it ! My kind and affectionate mother, seeing the trouble I was in, besides being 

 bankrupt, (like mothers hang to boys, while the fathers stick to the girls — very natu- 

 ral !) sent the servant with a cage and obtained a bird for me ; my broken heart be- 

 gan to mend ; I was astonished to hear how plain it could say or speak, Pink ! Pink ! 

 Pink ! J. was acquainted with him up to the time of his death, which was between 

 forty and fifty years ; he was a worthy old man, and there was not a vice in him, al- 

 though he was only a humble bird catcher. There was a highly respectable Bird and 

 Pigeon Dealer, of the name of Nathaniel Preston, corner of Featherstone-street, City- 

 road — it was proverbial of him that he would use a child or boy as well as the most 

 experienced Fancier — who would at times favour this bird catcher, who had a very 

 pretty flight of Black Beards, &c., and say, " Jemmy, try this Squeaker, I entertain 

 a high opinion of it." Among them w^as a blue-pied Pouting Horseman cock, one of 

 the most splendid birds I ever saw — was good as a little fortune to him, and fly equal 

 to any of his Tumblers, At the season ot the year when bird catching was bad, he 

 would sell off" all his Pigeons except this blue Pouting Horseman cock and a black- 

 bearded cock, (his other black beards he sold knew a thing or two, he used to say they 

 would do forty miles). He would generally look two or three times a day to see v^-hat 

 stray hens the cocks had brought in, and thought it a bad day's work if they did not 

 bring in one a piece ; as soon as he perceived a strange one, he took and sold it, turn- 

 ing the cocks out to look for others. I never witnessed such a flying Pouting Horse- 

 man as this ; it flew more like a Hawk than a Pigeon, besides being such a bird for 

 dashing off". It was unfortunately shot by a pubhcan who had been a gamekeeper ; I 

 believe it was the cause of nearly ruining the poor old bird catcher. I have this week 

 bought two pretty little Pouting Horseman cocks ; I am informed they come from 

 Norwich. I am given to understand they fly tremendously, with very large crops. I 

 have not bought them with the idea of stray catching ; having so many feeders, I 

 should not know a strange Pigeon in the loft, unless a marked or superior Pigeon. My 

 lofts being always open, they come in and go out as they like, I have matched these 

 two little Pouting Horseman cocks to two of my best high-flying Tumbler hens, for the 

 purpose of taking them up into the elements, for I think they look very well in flight 

 with the Tumblers. I care nothing about their young ; if they do not fly well when 

 let out, they will make room for others that will. The Gentlemen Fanciers of the Eng- 

 lish Pouter may assume that I admire the small Pouting Horseman more than the large 

 English Pouter. The contrary is the fact ; I never have and never shall advise the 

 young and inexperienced Fancier to attempt to breed a second-rate bird, while he has 

 the opportunity to breed a first-rate bird, therefore I shall not advise him to breed the 



