278 Fancy Pigeons. 



through some of the long runts which likewise possess it, it must have 

 developed itself in the pouter race in the same way as in that of the 

 carrier. There has arisen quite lately, in Germany, a theory that 

 the English pouter might have been derived from a German variety, 

 the appearance of which I shall describe, and the arguments connected 

 with which I shall discuss, when I come to write about it. In the mean- 

 time, I must describe what constitutes a perfect English pouter, which, 

 even on the Continent, where many varieties of the family exist, stands 

 confessedly at the head of them all, and which many in this country 

 consider the finest, noblest, and most beautiful of all pigeons. 



As I have already shown, the great run on the almond tumbler, about the 

 middle of last century, was the cause of the pouter being to a great 

 extent neglected in London, and the fancy for it appears to have been 

 languid ever afterwards, tiU at last the breed nearly disappeared thence. 

 About fifty years ago, Scotch fanciers began to breed this pigeon, and 

 ultimately they got it almost entirely into their own hands. At that 

 time, some of the linen manufacturers of Dundee brought home with 

 them from London, which they were in the habit of visiting annually by 

 way of trade, many fine pouters, which have been described to me, by 

 those who remember them, as stylish birds, good in colour and marking. 

 At the same time, or soon afterwards, fanciers in the West of Scotland 

 also began breeding pouters, and from 18C0 to 1870 the fancy for 

 them may be said to have reached its zenith in Scotland. Soon after the 

 Glasgow pigeon shows were established, or about 1860, English fanciers 

 went into pouter breeding, but for some time they were obliged to draw 

 their supplies of stock birds from Scotland, the breed being next to extinct, 

 south of the Border. As records will show, this was so much the case 

 that the pouter was for years often quite unrepresented at the annual 

 exhibitions of metropolitan pigeon societies, the members of which 

 confined themselves to the carrier, short-faced tumbler, dragoon, &c. At 

 the present time, Scotland and England may be said to divide between 

 them the breeding of pouters, but in London, the very home of this 

 variety, where it was undoubtedly produced, so far as I know, there are 

 still few who keep them, with the exception of the great dealers. Irish 

 fanciers have, to some extent, bred these noble pigeons for several years 

 back, and they have had the honour of producing many fine ones, as ia 

 well known. Some of the best I have bred myself I can trace back to birds 



