95 



that time : at the same time, refer to the print of the Almond Tumbler in the same 

 Work ; it looks like a game cock making hasty strides after his hens. I cannot by 

 any possibihty think this a fair specimen of what an Al:mond Tmnbler was in 1765 ; 

 if so, and the two prints were shown to any one, and asked which he considered the 

 most beautiful bird, the answer unquestionably would be the Jacobine. I confess I 

 am at a loss to know what the print of the Almond Tumbler looks like. I consider 

 the Jacobine, as a toy, should rank second toy ; the Barb unquestionably the first 

 from the difficulty of breeding a good one. 



(212. Bkent.) — The aristocratic Jacobin of the old Pigeon Fanciers is not now to 

 to be met with in England, but I believe may still be had in France ; I enquired fo^ 

 them of the Pigeon dealer at St. Omer, but though he knew them he was unable to 

 proc\u-e me any in that part. The French name, if I remember righ , was " Pigeon 

 Normain Capucin." 



(212. Bkent.) — The pure and high-bred Jacobin bears the same affinity to the 

 Pigeon generally called a Jacobin, that the high-bred, short-faced Tumbler does to the 

 common flying Tumbler ; in fact, could we produce a short-faced, Baldhead Tumbler, with 

 a close fitting hood and elegant chain, we should then have a perfect aristocratic 

 Jacobin. 



(212. Bkent.) — The common Jacobin Pigeons are supposed to come from Cyprus ; 

 they are well known on the Continent ; the Germans call them " Zopf," " Perucken," 

 or " Sehleier-Tauben," as also " Kapuziner." The French know them by the name of 

 *' Pigeon Capucin." 



(212. Brent.) — They should have a rather short, stout beak and a pearl eye ; the 

 feathers at the back of the head and the sides of the neck, are reversed in their posi- 

 tion, and form a compact hood and chain, reaching down to the bend of the wings ; 

 the more even and closer setting they -are the more is the breed esteemed. The hood 

 and chain constitute the chief characteristics of the breed, and give the bird an inte- 

 resting appearance, forming a frill round the head in resemblance of Queen Bess. At 

 the lower part of the chain the feathers turn out aU round and expose a centre spot of 

 white down. 



(212. Bkent.) — Their colour is usually red, or black, bald-headed, that is with a red 

 or black body, the head, tail, flight, rump, thighs, and vent, white ; and to be perfect 

 there should be no intermixture of colours, as dark feathers where they should be light, 

 or vice versa, which would be considered a blemish, as also a bull (*. e. black) eye ; 

 there are also yellow and blue bald-headed Jacks, and some that are mottled on the 

 wings, and I once saw a dun bald-headed Jack. Quite white are not uncommon, and 

 the Germans have some quite black ; they are mostly clean legged, but some are 

 feather-footed. 



(212. Brent.) — The various names of this kind of Pigeon, as "Jacobin," ''Nor- 

 main," "Kapuziner," &c., are traceable to the resemblance of the white head 

 of the bird enveloped in the dark hood, to the shaven crown of those eccle- 

 siastics partially covered by the cowl. The high-bred Jacks are tender, and not 

 the best of nurses, consequently the young should be raised under other sorts, like 

 many other of the diflerent kinds of Fancy Pigeons ; their greater value being ample 

 remuneration for the extra trouble. The commoner sorts are very fair breeders, but 

 not being good flyers are not adapted to procure their living abroad, nor are they 

 suited to contend for food among the other inhabitants of the poultry yard, as, 

 from>the hood and chain obstructing the backward vision, they are frequently pounced 

 npon unawares by any malicious enemy. The Fancy demand pearl eyes in white, as 

 "well as Jacks of any other colour. The primitive colour of Jacobin or Cyprus 

 Pigeons I believe to have been red or black, bald-headed, and the plumage is probably 

 the efiect of crossing, at some time, with other white Pigeons ; by which means the 

 dark eyes, by far too often seen in these pretty birds, is a circumstance to be accounted 

 for, but a blemish not to be tolerated. The so-called Jacobins of the present time are 

 comparatively but degenerate examples of the beautiful short-faced Jacks of former 

 writers, and if any one wishes to excel in the reproduction of exquisite Jacobines, they 

 must, by careful matching and in and in breeding, reduce the best of the present Jacks 

 to the former standard, of excellence ; a small Pigeon, short beak and close, compact 



