Breeding Black-tied Pouters. 
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usually called “ off-colours,” when their markings are correct ; but if birds have snips, ring-necks, 
foul thighs, or faults of that kind, they are said to be “ mis-marked.” 
We agree with Mr. Ure in preferring above all other colours the Black-pied, both for the 
striking contrast of colour, the rarity of birds which really present a good raven black, and above 
all, the extreme few which are to be seen with clean thighs. They appear at shows ; but we speak 
of birds which are clean in their natural state, or before the owner has weeded out the foul feathers 
which more or less disfigure most of the birds. There is also the snip, or white mark just above 
the beak, which the same gentleman has mentioned. Few, indeed, are the birds free from these 
various faults ; still they have been seen, and we have now to state how such have been bred. We 
refer, of course, to birds good in other respects also, since we have seen lots of the little Dutch 
Pouters quite free from foul markings ; and by sacrificing the other standard properties it is easy 
enough to get any colour desired. But all the good Black-pied Pouters we have actually known, 
free from foul feathers on the thighs, were produced in the following manner : — 
A good-coloured Red-pied cock was mated in the first place to a Black hen of raven colour, 
the latter as usual being foul-thighed ; the Red cock, on the contrary (as is usual with Reds), was 
clean-thighed, and the produce of this cross were chiefly Red cocks, and what are called in Scotland 
Sandy hens, but which in England are termed strawberry-coloured. Some other English fanciers 
call them Mealies ; but this latter term is only properly applied to birds with bars on the wing, this 
being the distinction between the sandy and mealy birds as understood by regular Pouter breeders. 
A Sandy hen of this produce, clean-thighed (and Sandies thus bred are seldom otherwise), was 
matched to a fair-coloured Black cock, and the produce of this latter cross were the only perfectly- 
marked and clean-thighed Blacks we ever saw. We knew all the circumstances, having ourselves 
supplied the Black hen and Black cock for the experiment, and the Red cock being the 
property of an old Pouter fancier, Mr. Van, late of Winchmore Hill, near London. He bred two 
pairs in this manner ; and these two nests, as we have said, were the only genuine Black-pied 
Pouters perfectly free from foul marks, and good in other qualities, which we have ever met with. 
No doubt, had this gentleman persevered, he would have acquired the most valuable stud of 
Black-pieds in existence ; but owing to a removal he gave up the fancy, and his stock coming 
into our own possession, has been the foundation of the best Black-pieds even of the present day. 
We have often urged others to try the same cross, but so far no one seems to have had the patience 
for a plan which demands more than one season’s breeding to obtain what they desire, however 
certain in its results, which we have every confidence of. We would, however, say that the Red 
cock must be of a deep and rich colour, as well marked as possible, and free from foul feathers, 
which is by no means easy to obtain. We prefer the cock to be red and the hen black, on account 
of the almost impossibility of finding a good-coloured black cock free from foul markings, it being 
necessary to start with clean thighs on the cock’s side. Were it not for this we should prefer for 
the male bird to be black, though there would also be the difficulty of finding a really good-coloured 
deep red hen, which is another pigeon very rarely to be seen. On the whole, therefore, the plan we 
have given is the only practicable one. Its success arises from the fact that the Sandy of the first 
cross being already half-bred black, and almost always free from foul marks on the thighs, is nearly 
sure in a fair proportion other progeny to throw some birds with both desired points. Should the 
produce of the first cross be both Sandies, the Sandy cock may also be bred with a good-coloured 
Black hen, and if with his own mother all the better and the more likely to succeed. It is a curious 
fact, however, that the similar cross of father and daughter — viz., the young Sandy hen to the old 
Red cock, very seldom answers, and should never be ventured upon unless the breeder cannot help 
himself, the produce being generally half bad Reds and half Sandies ; and as these latter, though 
