PIGEONS. 
—4m 
91 f 
pleasing in its appearance nor graceful in its proportions; 
indeed, the inflation of the voluminous crop, rendering an erect, 
stiff, and apparently constrained attitude necessary, gives an 
aspect of distortion, or a want of a due balance of parts. 
The pouter is of large size, often measuring eighteen inches 
in length from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail. The 
chest is not really voluminous, though it appears enormous 
when the crop is distended with air; the back is concave, and 
the tail ample; the tarsi are very long, and covered with downy 
feathers. These pigeons are of various colors, as blue, rufous, 
pied, or altogether white. Those birds which are tall, erect, 
with a very amplejerop, and with the colors of the plumage 
regularly disposed, and according to certain fancy rules, are 
esteemed the most valuable. 
The pouter is formed by a cross between the “dragon” and 
the “ old Dutch cropper,” which latter bird, except in the 
development of the crop, (whence its name,) had nothing to 
recommend it. From this intermixture, not without much care 
and expense, has resulted this favorite variety. The flight of 
the pouter is buoyant, but not rapid, nor capable of being long 
sustained. As varieties of the pouter, or rather as breeds 
allied to it, may be mentioned the “ uploper ” and the “ Parisian 
pouter,” said to be a beautifully-marked bird; but with these,- 
I have no personal acquaintance. 
Pouters are very expensive birds to rear, as the strain will 
soon become degenerate. As the old birds pay little attention 
to the wants of their young, it frequently happens that the tiny 
creatures are starved to death. Careful fanciers, thei eforc, never 
allow them to hatch their own eggs, but shift them as soon as 
they are deposited under a hen “dragoon,” tint has lately 
laid; and place the eggs of the latter bird under the pouter, in 
order that she may commence incubation; otherwise, she will 
lay again in a short time, which, often repeated, would, in ail 
probability, kill her. Every pouter must be kept by itself 
during the winter season; and their coops must be lofty, so 
that they may not acquire a stooping habit, which is a very 
great fault. In the spring, every pair of pouters must have ^ 
