2 $4 Fancy Pigeons. 



breediDg ; and they regard long hairs on the breast of a pouter in the 

 same lig'ht. Pouters have often extra tail feathers, as many as fifteen 

 primaries being common. Several strains have also an extra primary 

 fligh"^, and I have sometimes had half my stock with eleven flights 

 a side. 



Qarridge, — Having stated what constitutes good shape in a pouter, as 

 he may be seen standing still in a show-pen, or on the floor of his loft, I 

 now come to describe the way he ought to carry himself when in motion. 

 Regarding carriage, Moore expresses himself as follows : — " Besides the 

 five Properties before mention'd, there is another, which tho' not gene- 

 lally allow'd, will be found to be one of the best — I mean the Carriage." 

 A pouter which is not formed on good linos, and is not well proportioned, 

 can never look well, however he may carry himself ; but however well he 

 may be shaped, it does not follow that his carriage will be right. Shape 

 and carriage are, therefore, separate properties, as Moore states. The 

 crop being well filled, the bird may, as ho plays up to his hen, begin to 

 " bufle," as Moore de3C^ibe^! it, or to choke with wind by overfilling his 

 crop. He then sets up the feathers at the back of his neck, and struggles 

 from side to side, endeavouring to free himself from the encumbrance. 

 Some birds are much addicted to this fault, and will, unless caught up 

 and relieved, by their beaks being opened, and the air being pressed out 

 of their crops, remain choked for half an hour at a time. Some birds, 

 though naturally possessed of capacious crops, never fill them, but allow 

 them to hang down like an empty bag. These are said to be slack- 

 winded, and, as Moore says, " appear not much better than an ill-shap'd 

 Eunt." A pouter as he plays must keep himself perfectly upright, so 

 that his head is perpendicular with his feet ; he must on no account 

 jump off the ground as he plays, but walk in a very dignified way, and 

 with his tail slightly spread out. A grave fault in carriage is jumping 

 off the ground as he plays, which is generally accompanied by rumping, 

 or setting up the feathers of his back and rump, the tail at the same time 

 being tucked under him and dragged along the ground. All these faults 

 of carriage are often seen in pouters which look well enough when 

 standing still. They ought, therefore, to be always judged in a large 

 show-pen to allow their carriage to be seen, which is now generally done 

 at important shows. 



Feather. — The standard colours of the pouter are yellow, red, black, 



