Difficulties in Rearing. 
107 
him to stand up and look tall when in show, and to carry his globe well, with the tip of the tail 
just touching the ground. In such a position the head should appear in as nearly as possible a 
perpendicular line drawn from the sole of the foot. 
The leg or limb of the Pouter should be covered with soft downy feathers like those of a 
moor-fowl, with just enough at the hock to hang nicely over. The feet have longer feathers, 
which should be set so thickly as to allow no bare spot on the toes to be seen, and should curve or 
spread rather suddenly out from the feet like the base, of a column. This is the perfect style for 
the show-bird, but there are also “thin-legged” birds, in which the feathering is deficient, and 
others in which it is too profuse, forming often vulture-hocks. These last are said to be “ too 
rough,” or “too heavy in limb,” or to be “rough-legged birds.” Both these kinds of feathering are 
found most useful in breeding, the thin-legged birds being generally of fine and symmetrical shape, 
and when mated with the rough-legged ones producing the very finest specimens so far as regards 
this feature. We will presently enter into the matching of various birds, with regard to limb, with 
illustrations to explain our meaning. As Mr. Ure has explained, the legs should stand close 
together ; the closer they are the more slender does the bird appear, showing off what style 
he has to the best advantage. Wide-legged birds are also mostly crooked in the breast-bone, 
and nearly all such are wide across the shoulders and loose in their flights. 
The limb is the most valuable property in the Pouter, on account of the great difficulty in 
breeding and rearing it, It is this property chiefly that makes the Pouter the most difficult to 
produce approaching perfection of all the pigeon race ; and all other properties can be produced, 
and the birds possessing them reared, with at least comparative ease. But no sooner do you get a 
really grand-limbed bird in the nest, than your difficulties, so far from being ended, are only fairly 
begun. The legs are almost as soft as jelly till the age of three weeks ; and being so long, in 
spite of all care, the least cold is liable to render them powerless, which if it occurs at an early 
age is hopeless of cure. Again, if the bird should get one leg outside the pan, and get the 
least twist or strain while in that position, it is almost certain, from the extreme softness of the 
joints, that the limb will become more or less deformed, and if the bird be a cock, he is then 
useless either for showing or breeding, though a hen may be used to breed from. Besides these 
and similar chances, gooddimbed birds, like all long-legged animals, are almost always liable 
to great weakness in the legs, which, at the best, does not pass off till the bones are set. The 
short-legged birds are easy enough to rear ; but directly you have really got a fine long-limbed 
bird, the chances are many against rearing it. Perhaps it is hardly too much to say that the 
very best birds ever bred (as regards this point) have never reached maturity ; and it is no 
wonder that many who began to keep this pigeon have given it up in sheer despair, for no variety 
gives so much disappointment and anxiety to produce as a really good Pouter; so that any one 
who has kept on with them like the four we have already named, has a good right to be considered 
a genuine fancier , since otherwise he would never persevere amidst the many cruel disappointments 
his fascinating pursuit must occasion him. Truth to say, however, we know of really no others 
who have similarly “ stuck ” to one pigeon. We know many who have done good service ; who 
bred them even earlier, and who still admire them ; but who have given them up at different 
times, though they have begun again (a fact which speaks curiously both for the pains and pleasures 
attending this pigeon) ; but we know no others who have steadily kept them without intermission 
for such a length of time. 
The next property of the Pouter is length of flights. These should be so long as to come 
nearly to the end of the tail, and fold up closely, so as to look fine and narrow. This point adds 
much to the slenderness of appearance and general style, as the higher a Pouter carries his flights, 
