136 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
properties the more they are prized. We have seen some specimens as handsome and perfect in 
general properties as most standard birds ; and one bird, in particular which we have seen, 
belonging to Mr. Tegetmeier, was not only the best of its class which has come under our notice, 
but was as handsome a little Pouter as we ever saw. This gentleman has, in fact, done more to 
improve this particular class of birds than all other fanciers in England put together, and we 
believe has bred nearly all colours. We have, however, often wondered that although nearly all 
colours have thus been bred, no one in modern times, that we know of, has ever seen a Pigmy 
Pouter pied like the standard varieties. We say in modern times, because Mr. Tegetmeier has 
interpreted Mr. John Eaton’s account of Sir John Sebright’s Pigmy Pouters as meaning that these 
birds were so pied. Eaton certainly says they preserved “ all their elegant properties ; ” but we 
are by no means clear he meant to include marking, and, if it were so, it is wonderful that no trace 
should now remain of such an attractive stock ; but as we have already stated Mr. Tegetmeier 
to have bestowed unusual attention on this variety, he may have good reasons, apart from 
Eaton’s account, for believing that Sir John really had vanquished the difficulty — not a very great 
one, certainly, and much diminished by the fact that nearly all healthy specimens are strong and 
good breeders, which rear their own young without difficulty or needing the aid of feeders. 
As to the origin of these birds, our own impression is that they have been bred partly by 
dwarfing the old Dutch Cropper, and partly by crossing these with the German Toys. Its source 
in larger breeds is made certain by the results of a cross, for we know of a case in which a very 
extra small Dutch Cropper, crossed with an “Austrian ” Pigmy Pouter, produced birds which could 
not have been distinguished by mere size from ordinary English-bred Pouters. In fact, without 
any crossing at all, there is no difficulty in breeding them larger and larger every year ; the 
problem being rather to keep them small enough — a fact which, as in the case of Bantams, conclu- 
sively proves a larger parentage. 
The most common colours in these attractive little birds are Blacks and Blues ; next Whites, 
Reds, and Duns ; and those called Isabels are of a cream colour, with bars across the wing-coverts 
as in a Blue-picd, but white instead of the ordinary black bars. This is one of the features which 
makes us suspect the cross with some of the Toys, being common to many of these ; and it 
certainly looks very pretty. In no single case, however, have we yet seen a Pigmy Pouter having 
the “ standard ” marking on crop, pinion, &c. ; and we repeat our opinion that this marking, were 
it produced, would “ beat all,” and the birds possessing it at once take rank amongst the most 
attractive of the Toy pigeons. Neither do we think there would be much difficulty in producing 
it ; for though we have never yet seen the true crop and pinion-marking, we have seen several 
Pigmies with the “clean cut” across the belly just below the crop, from which it would take but 
little trouble to produce the rest, there being ready to hand all the colours required. It might be 
suggested to in-breed some slender standard birds, and to cross these with the self-coloured and 
white Pigmies already existing, in the same way as described in our last chapter. Success in this 
way could hardly fail, and were the desired results once seen, we are quite sure there would be 
many fanciers of such a bold and handsome little pigeon, which would occupy precisely a similar 
position to that of Game Bantams beside the large Game. 
Pigmy Pouters have no particular diseases, not being, like the large variety, much subject 
to gorging or other ailments. They look well at large, flying about easily with their crops 
distended. They should be judged by their approach to standard Pouter points, with the 
exception of marking. Should this ever be attained, the points for colour and marking will then 
also apply, but the smallest bird should be most prized, instead of, as in the standard Pouter, the 
finest and largest. 
