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13:r<:3 ' ;EO:E<rs • A -' I ‘ TUB CRYSTAL PALACB SHOW, BOTSTDOI<T. 
[Entered according 10 Act of ConereBS, in tlio year 1S75. by the Rural Publistnnit Company, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at WashlnRton.l 
PIGEON SHOW AT CRYSTAL PALACE, 
LONDON. 
The Interest manifested in pigeons in this 
country leads us to illustrate some of the 
prize birds recently exhibited at the Crystal 
Paluee, London. The exhibition was of both 
pigeons and poultry, and was re markable for 
its extent, there being nearly 4,-100 entries. 
The display of pigeons is reported a a being 
the chief attraction to the public. There 
were Carrier, Tumbler Aud Fantail pigeons, 
Jacobins, Pouters, Barbs, Trumpeters, Owls, 
Turbits, P.Hnts, Antworpe, &c, t &c.; indeed, 
it seems nearly every variety known wa 3 
there. We have in this city a Columharian 
Socioty which annually makes a Pigeon 
Show, and we have no doubt, from what we 
know of the pigeon fanciers in and about 
this city, that its interest in its exhibitions 
is assured. Wo trust so. 
ENGLISH POUTER—NO, 2. 
1. Length of Legs.— Some birds will meas¬ 
ure longer than others, but will not show so 
long on the legs, on account of the form and 
position of the limbs, which will make the 
shorter - legged bird look taller aud more 
showy than the long-limbed one. The legs 
should appear straight os possible, with just 
enough bend at the hock joint to give them 
a nice, ea3y effect, and should be placed close 
together; narrow-thighed, not wide and 
straddling. The feet should turn a little out 
and the knees a little in. With legs so shaped, 
the bird's walk will be graceful. It is also a 
good indication of being well bred. The legs 
should be covered with soft, downy feathers, 
with just, enough at the hock to hang nicely 
over. The feet should be covered with long 
feathers and so thickly set as not to show 
any bare spots on the toes. The length of 
leg is one of the most difficult properties to 
attain. Birds over seven iuches are very 
rare, being equal in all the other requisite 
qualities. I should be quite satisfied with 
seven Inches, although I have heard of many 
that measure more. Mr. Moore says that 
he has had them 7)£ Inches, and once a red 
cock 7% ; but he says he could not walk, 
scarcely stand, and generally sat on his 
knees ; so he had to kill him. 
The knee-joint should be as high as possi¬ 
ble, and should aot be too apparent, even 
bent, as they are then called “ cow-hocked.” 
They should not be too straight, as it looks 
low-jointed—a great defect. 
The length of limb should not always be 
considered the highest merit between two 
birds ; the form and style should be closely 
considered in comparing them, and there¬ 
fore length of measurement should not al¬ 
ways decide the winning bird. The most 
important part of the limb is that from the 
sole of the foot to the knee or hock-joint. 
The longer the distance appears the better 
the effect, of the limbs. If there is too much 
bend in the joint it makes the shoulders low 
and the bird to appear too "level” in car¬ 
riage, like to the Ruut. 
For a Pouter to show well, he should stand 
erect and look tall, and his position such that 
his head should appear in as nearly as possi¬ 
ble a perpendicular line drawn from the side 
of the feet—should cany his globe well, with 
the tip of his tail just touching the ground. 
There are what they call the tliin-legged 
birds, in which the feathering is deficient, 
aud the vulture hooked when it is too pro¬ 
fuse. Both of these classes of birds are very 
useful to the breed, since the slender-legged 
birds are generally very symmetrical in 
shape, and, mated with the stout-legged 
birds, will produce some splendid specimens. 
It is this property of limb which makes the 
Pouter the most difficult of all the pigeon 
race to breed to perfection. 
As Mr. Fulton says, no sooner do you get 
a really grand-limbed bird in the nest than 
your difficulties, so fur from being ended, 
are only fairly begun. The legs are as soft 
as jelly for about three weeks, and being so 
long, in spite of all care the least cold Is liable 
to reader them powerless, which, if it occur 
at an early ago, is hopeless of cure. And if 
the bird should get the least twist or strain 
it is almost certain, from the softness of the 
joints, that the limb will become more or less 
deformed, and if the bird bo a cock, he i 3 
^VOL. XXXI. No. 1. 
vf JO. AAAI. NO. 1, I 
WHOLE No. 1301. I 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y„ JAN. 2, 1875. 
PRICE SIX CENTS. 
j PRICE S3 
1 *2.63 PE 
PER YEAR. 
