Foreign Cropper Pigeons. 307 



rarely; they have a red cere round the eyes." The Pigeon Cavalier 

 Faraud is pictured as a tall, upstanding, shell-crested, long-cropped, and 

 bare-legged pouter. It is said to be a cross between the common Cavalier 

 and the Bagadais Mondain d I'ceil. 



Neumeister and Priitz describe several varieties of German croppers 

 {Kropffauben) , and say, regarding the whole race: "This universally 

 known and favourite kind of pigeon is distinguished from all others by 

 its ability of puffing up the throat to the highest degree, so that it often 

 becomes as large as the remaining body. This is done by drawing in 

 air into the throat, by means of the bill somewhat opened, the throat 

 valve closing ; which closing is brought about in a manner which has not 

 yet been thoroughly investigated ; but it is likely by a co-operation of the 

 neck muscles. As to the beauty of croppers, it is essential that the neck 

 be long, so that the head does not stick between the shoulders, which 

 gives them an unshapely appearance. Their flight is mostly good, though 

 somewhat heavy, they flap much with their wings, and frequently make 

 playful gyrations with their wings held high. Their propagation is but 

 middling, but they are much liked on account of their cheerful ways and 

 the above described remarkable blowing up of their crops, which gives 

 them peculiarly graceful attitudes and movements. They should never 

 be kept with other pigeons, especially large kinds, as they are helpless 

 when blowing and unable to withdraw from or defend themselves against 

 the attacks of others. The crop loses its feathers by blows from the 

 beak, is even sometimes pierced ; when feeding with other nimble kinds 

 they often come short ; their pairing is also interfered with, which is 

 telling on the offspring. They are variously marked, of quite different 

 forms, and therefore divided into the following varieties : 



" Der Deutsche Kurx und glattfilsziffe Jfroy/er (German short and bare- 

 legged cropper) is one of the largest croppers, of considerable height . 

 Its length 55 centimetres" (21|in., 36in. = 913- centimetres), "and breadth 

 of outspread wings 105 centimetres." It passes for the original race of 

 all the remaining cropper kinds. The round head is mostly smooth, 

 sometimes with a pointed hood, brow high, bill proportionately short. 

 Deck very long, and, along with the crop, strongly hung with hair ; breast 

 and back broad, the latter somewhat hoUow. The crop always puffed 

 up, hanging somewhat forward, has a diameter of 121-15 centimetres, 

 and a circumference up to 42i centimetres. The short, strong legs are 



X 2 



